Breaking Through

Although Francisco’s friends in the senior class of Santa Maria High School are eagerly anticipating moving on to college, he expects to “[…] stay home and continue helping my family” (163). When Mr. Penney, a guidance counselor, discusses college applications with Francisco, Francisco advises him that he will be unable to attend college, as the family cannot afford tuition. Mr. Penney explains the concept of college scholarships and student loans and is surprised when Francisco explains that he has to “[…] support them” (166), referring to his parents and younger siblings.

Francisco realizes that he will need Papa’s permission to complete college applications and to have Trampita take over his job at the Santa Maria Window Cleaners. Papa, who is in a bad mood, responds with anger when Francisco explains the conversation he had with Mr. Penney, stating, “[l]et’s think about it” (168). Quite uncharacteristically, Francisco is angered and shouts at his father that “It’s my only chance!” (168). The argument escalates; at one point, it appears that Papa will strike Mama. Francisco intervenes and Papa slaps him in the face.

As usual, Mama seeks reconciliation. She explains that Papa does not want to lose another son and that he is ashamed of his inability to support the family. Once again, she advocates “[…] faith in God” (170), promising to intervene with Papa on Francisco’s behalf. On his part, Francisco experiences some guilt about his argument with Papa, and the possibility that he is being unfair to Trampita; nonetheless, he fears working as a janitor for the rest of his life. Upon his return home, Mama advises Francisco that his Spanish teacher, Mr. Osterveen, had visited the home that day. Speaking in fluent Spanish, he had talked to the family about the benefits of college. Papa agreed that Francisco should be allowed to go. Francisco enters Papa’s bedroom and kisses the older man’s hands while he sleeps.

Mr. Penney assists Francisco with his application to the University of Santa Clara, a small Jesuit school, and helps with his scholarship applications. 

Francisco is thrilled when he is accepted to the University of Santa Clara, but horrified to see the cost of $2,000 per year. He thanks his counselor, Mr. Penney, for his assistance and expresses his financial concern, and is assured that sufficient scholarships and National Defense Student Loans will cover the costs. When advised to apply for $1,000 in loans, Francisco thinks of his father’s belief that “[…] borrowing money is like being enslaved” (176) and calculates that he would have to work as a janitor for 1,000 hours to earn such money; nonetheless, he decides to take the loan. Still traumatized by the deportation of his parents during his childhood, Francisco lies about his place of birth on the application and notes that he was born in California. The author mentions in passing that he had achieved a grade point average of 3.77 during high school. Ultimately, he is awarded $1,000 dollars in various local scholarships and all family members celebrate the good news except for Papa, who becomes teary-eyed at the thought of his son leaving home.

Francisco is excited about his graduation ceremony, and spends the preceding hours at his janitor’s job hoping that his parents will attend. They had missed Roberto’s ceremony when Papa stated that he was in too much pain to leave the house and insisted that Mama stay home with him. Upon his arrival home, Francisco bathes in the aluminum tub and dresses, but Papa does not prepare to leave. Eventually, Papa confesses that he is anxious due to his inability to speak English, the fact that he will not know anyone there, and his lack of proper clothes to wear. Francisco gives him the shirt and tie that was purchased for his Rotary Club luncheon and Papa notes that the tie “[…] makes [him] look important” (182). Despite these preparations, Papa insists that he and Mama will arrive at the school later and Francisco leaves unsure as to whether they will actually attend the event. As the author approaches the podium to lead the crowd in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, he sees his parents entering the auditorium. 

Francisco, Mama and Torito all work hard during the summer following Francisco’s graduation, and they are overjoyed when Roberto and his wife, Darlene, welcome a newborn daughter, Jackie. Francisco keeps careful track of the number of days left prior to starting school during the first week of September, as “[t]his was the first time in my life I did not feel sad about moving” (186). He looks forward to hot showers in the dorm, as opposed to bathing in an aluminum tub in the shed at home.

While Mama and Francisco’s younger siblings share in his excitement on the morning of his departure, Papa becomes more demanding and insists upon Mama’s help in dressing. Despite her limited budget, Mama surprises Francisco with new clothes and boots that she purchased at a J.C. Penney’s sale, explaining that she had “been saving a little bit every week from groceries” (188). Francisco feels great gratitude toward his mother and Trampita, who has made it possible for the author to leave home by agreeing to take over his janitorial job. Following an emotional goodbye with Roberto, the family joins Francisco on his drive to Santa Clara. While leaving the Bonetti Ranch, Francisco notes the laborers working on their knees in the fields, the fact that Mama has fallen asleep immediately from exhaustion, and that Papa grimaces in pain as he sleeps on Trampita’s shoulder. Mama comments that she has always wondered what it is like to live in a large brick house that they pass on the way. Francisco experiences great excitement as he heads the car north to Santa Clara, reflecting that “[a]fter so many years, I was still moving” (193).