We Were Here

Miguel experiences an epiphany regarding himself after this interaction. While he initially thought that expressing indifference to Mong might have been intended to sound “tough,” he realizes that he has no emotional stake in his own life. Without revealing the specifics of his crime, he notes that “[a]fter what happened back in Stockton it’s like I’m already dead” (34). He remembers caring very much for his home, parents, and brother as a young child, but none of these things impact him emotionally any more.

The narrator, Miguel, reflects upon the constant success of his brother, Diego, in attracting beautiful girls at school. Miguel recounts Diego’s attributes: he is handsome and “talks in a super chill voice” (35). Additionally, he recalls that Diego always knows “exactly what to say” (35), even if a girl is offended due to his failure to call her or remember her birthday. Diego has the ability to make amends very easily.

Miguel recalls his childhood efforts to emulate Diego’s clothes and hairstyle, but stopped when he realized the effort was futile. He imagines that while others are suffering with the summer heat, Diego is “getting fanned down by the finest girls you could ever imagine” (36).

In this brief entry, Miguel notes that he has refrained from journaling “for a grip” (36) since there is nothing new to relate. He notes that he has been refraining from all social contact, including making eye contact. He avoids the other residents at meals and restricts his activities to performing chores, attending mandated counseling sessions, and reading. Miguel is pleased that he has no current roommate, since Jackson was expelled from the residence when meth was found taped to his bureau drawer.

The narrator relates that he started reading voraciously upon his arrival to the residence in order to avoid ruminating about painful subjects, such as his mother or brother. Miguel recalls that he “never let my bro catch me” (38) reading for enjoyment when he lived at home, as this would have been cause for ridicule. Miguel is reading The Color Purple, the story of a wife in an abusive marriage who writes letters to God about her situation. He looks forward to reading in his room alone at night; additionally, this occupation allows him to avoid his housemates.

When the other residents question Miguel about the nature of his crime, he responds that he was convicted of bicycle theft. While the reader is still unaware of the true nature of the offense, it’s clear that this is untrue. Regardless, Miguel is still known as “The Bike Thief.”

Miguel notes that “on the DL [down low]” (39), he often pretends that he has only stolen a bike.

Miguel enjoys completing The Color Purple, and makes a few insightful observations about the book in his journal. He starts reading a book called Their Eyes were Watching God, a 1937 novel written by African-American author Zora Neale Hurston. Once again, he notes that he enjoys reading books because they distract him from his sad personal history and allow him to pretend that he is enjoying a free life.

Jaden advises Miguel that Malcolm X read every book available in prison, and the young narrator decides to follow this example. He notes that upon his release, “I’ll […] be as smart as goddamn hell” (41). 

After two weeks in the home, the group home counselor, Jaden, forces Miguel to call home on Sunday. Each resident is compelled to call someone on the outside each week. Miguel’s hand shakes with anxiety when his mother’s phone starts to ring; Jenny, a counselor, tries to comfort him by patting his shoulder, but Miguel “doesn’t […] really like it when people touch me” (42). He hears Diego’s voice asking the caller to leave a message and Miguel gets dizzy and tenses his muscles. He reflects that he has spoken only ten words to his mother, to whom he was formerly close, over the last four months.

Miguel reflects upon his situation alone in the backyard, wondering if he will be a “total failure” (43) in life. He realizes that Diego was always his mother’s favorite child, but recalls that he and his mother had enjoyed listening to music together as she told him about various musicians of her era. Finally, he determines that he will dial a “fake number” (44) on the following Sunday when he is required to call home, noting that this will save both his mother and himself from emotional distress. He intends to conduct a one-sided conversation in order to fool his counselor into believing that he is complying with instructions. 

Oddly, Mong loses all interest in Miguel after failing to elicit a reaction by staring at him as he slept. Mong retains his calm when Jaden announces that early releases will be terminated and the residents should expect to serve their full sentence. The counselor attempts to mitigate this news by advising the young men that they will be brought on a field trip to Alcatraz, an uninhabited old prison located on an island in the San Francisco Bay.

Miguel comes to recognize a kindred spirit in Mong: both young men isolate themselves as much as possible. Jaden allows Mong special privileges; for example, Mong is allowed to stare at the television, rather than coming to the table for meals. Miguel wonders if these behaviors are tolerated because Mong is “psycho” (47).

On one occasion, having just returned from one of the mysterious appointments to which Les transports him, Mong assaults a very large resident, Reggie, in the kitchen. The other boy stares straight ahead and does not attempt to defend himself, leading the narrator to note that Mong is “freakish” (48) in his affect and causes others to behave abnormally, too.

Jaden calls Miguel into his office for a talk. During this conversation, Miguel notices him locking an envelope filled with cash in the petty-cash drawer and notes the counselor replacing the keys on his belt loop. This observation will prove to be critical later in the story.

Jaden notes that Miguel has isolated himself from the other residents and opines that it might make the time pass more easily if the young man socialized a bit. When asked why he is refusing to talk during his therapy sessions, Miguel clenches up his fists and stares at the counselor. He asks Jaden, “What […] do you do here?” (50), noting that Jaden knows nothing about “who I am or where I come from” (50). Jaden responds that Miguel is carrying an enormous emotional burden without accepting help.

Upon exiting the office, Miguel realizes that a new resident, and his next roommate, has arrived at the home. The narrator recognizes the young man as Rondell, his roommate from juvenile hall.