Mañanaland

Max practices fútbol with his friends Chuy, Ortiz, and Guillermo. They are all finally old enough to try out for Santa Maria’s local team. Tryouts are in five weeks. Ortiz and Max are both trying out for goalie. Ortiz, who has a wealthy father and is older than the other boys, likes to brag that he is the best.

The peregrine falcon appears. The boys talk about “Los Guardianes de los Escondidos, the Guardians of the Hidden Ones” (17) who bravely helped hidden ones escape Abismo. Ortiz chastises the other boys for believing the legend. Ortiz heard from his parents that the hidden ones and guardians were criminals.

The team will be getting a new coach. It’s all anyone can talk about. The coach will strictly enforce league rules, such as proof of age and residence. Ortiz’s cousin manages a prestigious fútbol clinic in nearby Santa Inés and has invited Ortiz and his friends to attend for free. The boys need permission from their parents, since they must ride the bus to Santa Inés. Ortiz brags about meeting the new coach that evening at dinner with his family. The boys talk about Max’s father and grandfather, who both played for the national team. Ortiz makes fun of Max’s family since Papá quit the national team to be with Max’s mother—and then she left. 

Walking home, Max has a flashback to the first time he had to explain his mother’s absence to peers. A boy at school asks where his mother is and laughs when Max doesn’t know. A teacher reprimands the boy, telling him not to ask Max about his mother because “it might make [Max] feel sad and unworthy” (26). Later that day, Max presses Papá and Buelo for answers, since Max knows nothing about his mother. It’s painful for Papá to talk about, and he promises to tell Max more when he’s older. When Max asks Buelo if Max will ever meet his mother, Buelo comforts him with the words “Solo mañana, sabe. Only the place we know as tomorrow holds the answers” (28).

Later, Papá tells Max goodnight and gives Max a compass that was important to Max’s mother he found behind a dresser drawer. Max hopes the compass will help him find his mother.

Papá comes home with a basket gifted to them by Max’s old teacher, Miss Dominguez. Papá has been helping fix her garden wall. Papá repeats a popular family phrase: “Favor con favor se paga” or “A favor for a favor” (34). Papá and Max tell Buelo about their day, including seeing the falcon. Buelo shares that the falcon is also called the pilgrim bird because “it journeys far away to promised lands but always returns to the same area, bringing good fortune and magic” (34). Papá dismisses the myth, though Max sides with Buelo.

Max mentions the fútbol clinic, but Papá denies Max permission to join his friends. Santa Inés is forty-five minutes away and too far for Max to travel to on his own. To make it up to Max, Papá offers Max and his friend Chuy the opportunity to be Papá’s apprentices building a new bridge. This excites Max. Papá goes out for the evening, leaving Max with Buelo.