The Book of Unknown Americans

Alma decides to go to the police and report the incident she witnessed, in which Maribel was sexually assaulted by the white boy, Garrett. She is given a Spanish-speaking officer to talk to, Officer Mora, but Alma is rattled by the lack of privacy and her inability to fully explain the complications surrounding Maribel’s brain injury. Officer Mora tells Alma they are unable to help and that maybe it was a case of rebellious teenage behavior. Alma realizes she should probably just go back home to the apartment but instead gets on a bus to Capitol Oaks, where Fito said Garrett and his family lived.

Alma wanders around the neighborhood of Capitol Oaks looking for the boy’s house and finally finds it. The boy is standing in the driveway, staring at her. Armed with her pocket dictionary, Alma says in the loudest voice she can muster, “Leave us alone” (152). The boy tells her to go home, then walks over and puts his hand, shaped like a gun, up to Alma’s temple and pretends to shoot her in the head. Alma leaves as quickly as she can, afraid to look back.