What distinguishes these stories that center around happening scenes in SanFrancisco's la Mission district is a vivid texturing and fine detailing ofstreet life: travails of a bus driver, intimacies of The Day of the Dead,visiting a merengue dance studio. The integration of language rhythm withcontext in individual day-to-day lives makes the stories transcend theircharacters to become a literary fiesta of barrio in all its raging and oftenpainful glory.

La Betsy's boyfriend, the orange-wigged calavera priest, comes around withthe tray again. A plastic skeleton swings merrily from his neck and danglesover the candy craniums. He Shoves the tray at me and says, 'Come on vato,te vez un poco muerto, or better said, te vez demasiado vivo, ja, ja, ja.'You really need your friends with you on the Day of the Dead.