We Were Here

Miguel describes the conditions of the shed in which he and Rondell are recuperating from hard physical labor. Miguel infers that the boys are both doing landscaping work for “Gramps,” his paternal grandfather. He notes that his “grandparents don’t really seem like they want me here. Especially my gramps” (323). The boys’ plan is to earn enough money to repay the Lighthouse money and then leave.

Miguel’s grandfather has not engaged in conversation with Miguel. He merely hands the boys tools and directs them to a worksite. Miguel considers the situation from his grandfather’s perspective: his son died in the military and then there is “the terrible thing that happened in Stockton” (324). Miguel recalls that Diego had always been their grandparents’ favorite. 

Miguel writes that the situation with Gramps deteriorates further when they actually begin working together; he barely acknowledges the boy at all. When Miguel is assigned to shovel debris left by his grandfather as he digs a trench, he has difficulty keeping up with the older man. Gramps merely grabs a shovel and completes the task himself.

Upon their arrival to his grandparents’ home, the boys return to the shed, where a manager gives them reporting instructions for the following day. A pretty young girl brings them large plates of food, and each boy is paid $75 in cash for the day.

Miguel notes that his grandmother had “ducked right back in the kitchen” (326) when she saw him at the front door. He feels that even if he were to be elected president, “none of us will ever get past what happened” (326) between Miguel and Diego in Stockton.

Miguel and Rondell are directed to dig up what appears to be a dead tree at a construction site, but they are unable to do so, even after working very hard. Refusing to succumb to exhaustion, Miguel doubles his efforts in order to show his grandfather he “had heart” (328). Upon their return to the shed, they are provided with a large dinner and paid for the day.

Subsequently, Miguel’s grandmother knocks on the door with a “sad look on her face” (328). She asks Miguel if he’s alright; later, she looks at him and starts to weep. Miguel explains that their stay is temporary; they are here to earn enough money to repay a debt.

Miguel realizes that his grandmother has a great deal about which to be upset. Her son has died and she probably realizes that Miguel is “AWOL from the Lighthouse” (329). She hugs him very hard; Miguel feels undeserving of her affection. Grandma tells him that she prays for him every night and that she “know[s] [Miguel] didn’t mean it” (331). She tells him that both she and his grandfather are glad that he came to stay, and asks Rondell to watch over Miguel. Upon her departure, Rondell asks Miguel what his grandmother is referring to, but Miguel is unable to answer. He starts to write in his journal. 

After several days, Miguel’s strength increases. He beings to understand the rhythm of the landscaping work, equating it in his mind to that of the drum circle at Venice Beach. He is gratified by being able to see the physical results of his labor and feels that he belongs to a group, that he is deserving of dinner and having earned his pay and rest. He feels like he “ha[s] a heart” (334).

The boys work all day trying to dislodge a tree, but are unable to remove it entirely. A friend of his grandfather remarks that tree roots are often deeper than meet the eye, “[l]ike life” (334). Upon their arrival home, Grandma visits again and offers to prepare them more food and, weeping, she says that Diego had been “such a good boy” (335). 

Rondell asks who Diego is, and is ignored. When Grandma tells Miguel that things will be alright due to prayer and the fact that this was an accident, he responds that “[i]t’s not okay” (335). She persists and tells him that Diego would want him to enjoy his life.

When she leaves, Miguel explains to Rondell that Grandma was alluding to the fact that Miguel “killed […] [his] own brother” (336), and he becomes very emotional. Rondell asks him how this happened, and Miguel decides to explain the event.

Miguel states that “[s]ix months and fourteen days ago” (337), Miguel and Diego were having a friendly dispute over the television remote and chasing each other around the living room sofa. Miguel had refused to give it up, and ran into the kitchen, and “we’re just messing around like any other day” (340). Miguel then grabs the steak knife that Diego had just used to butter his bread, trips backwards and falls on his back against the sink with his head banging into the cupboard door.

Diego, laughing, flips the kitchen table over and tackles Miguel, “like any other day” (340). Tragically, things end much differently than usual. Miguel trips and falls with the knife; when Diego tries to tackle his brother, he falls and the knife stabs him in the heart. Miguel screams and goes into shock, realizing that Diego is dead. He hears sirens; police and firefighters arrive. One of them tries to question Miguel, but he is incapable of comprehension.

Miguel’s next memory is that of being driven to the police station; he is seated in the front of the car, and he feels that this is an error. He writes that he’s “wishing he would put me in the back, ‘cause I know it’s where I’m supposed to be” (342). His mother arrives at the police station shortly after he does, and she looks away after making eye contact with Miguel. She turns away from the officer talking to her, as well, despite the fact that “one of the cops is running after her, yelling for her to hold on, Mrs. Castaneda!” (343). She leaves Miguel in the cell at the station, and he is later sentenced by the judge to time in the group home. Miguel weeps while telling Rondell the story.

Miguel covers his face with his hands, and Rondell tells him that “it ain’t really your fault” (343), noting that the devil was responsible for Diego’s death. Miguel assaults Rondell, punching him in the head and repeatedly claiming responsibility for Diego’s death; however, Rondell does not fight back until he finally wraps Miguel in a bear hug and throws him on the ground. Miguel responds with an obscenity; Rondell, who loses control, pushes his shoe down on the boy’s neck, much as he did the first day they met. Miguel encourages him to continue, indicating his desire to “go to sleep forever, get erased” (345). Rondell, still bleeding from Miguel’s blows, removes his foot and says, “You don’t deserve to get hurt” (346). Miguel is overcome with remorse and apologizes. He spends the rest of the night sleeping on the dirt floor of the hut. 

The boys go to work the following day and make no mention of the previous evening. They get ready to remove another tree, but it falls over immediately and the boys start laughing. They are joined by the Mexican crew members, who also enjoy the humor.

Upon their arrival home, Miguel realizes that they have earned enough money to repay the Lighthouse. He advises Rondell that he is going back to finish his time; Rondell says he will go to Oakland to try to find his family. Miguel gives him all the extra money, and continues to apologize for his outburst of the night before.

They agree that they will remain friends because they have shared so many difficult experiences. Rondell thinks that he may pursue playing basketball in Mexico, and he fantasizes about what he would do with his salary. Miguel promises that he will visit his friend in his new home. 

Rondell and Miguel shake hands “like [they] were two grownups” (351) at the San Jose bus station, but Rondell ultimately hugs Miguel so hard that he lifts him up from the ground. He weeps and tells Miguel that Miguel has been the “first person who never leaved me” (352). He waves to Miguel through the window as the bus pulls away.

As Miguel walks back to the group home, he rewinds all the events of the preceding months through his head like a movie. He recalls his brother, Diego, and truly experiences the emotional impact of his death. He kneels on the street for quite some time, feeling paralyzed as a result. He realizes that he is unable to change past events, but is somewhat revived by touching Mong’s tooth necklace.

Miguel concludes that he is unable to change the past, but he resolves to take control of future events by finishing his sentence in the group home, paying his restitution, and giving his counselor his journal. Although he would still give his own life for Diego’s, he will try to “make good with the rest” (353) of his life, and call his mother and tell her that he loves her, even if she cannot reciprocate at present.

When he knocks on the door, he asks for Jaden, who welcomes him warmly. Miguel shakes his hand and gives him the restitution money, announcing that he wants to complete his sentence. The counselor introduces Miguel to the new residents, and Miguel responds courteously.

A second knock on the door reveals the presence of Rondell, who announces that “I come back to do my time” (355). Jaden calls Lester in order to deal with the technicalities of their return, but is clearly delighted. Rondell tells Miguel that he decided to come back to see if he could “make good here too” and because he had promised Miguel’s grandmother that he would protect him. Finally, Rondell advises that it “[w]asn’t God who told me to do it neither. It was me” (356). Jaden is heard talking to Les on the phone, and advising him that he has two returned residents who wish to complete their time.