Tlacotlalpan

A house
Maids, 18 and 14 years old
Senora, elderly effusive owner
Talks and talks
Residents run away when she starts; but do so secretively, so as not to offend the
Woman who gives out favors
Lets some girls have own room for months
While others crunch in two at a time
Doors locked at night with chain and padlock
Inside, can't get out.
But little chance of fire
Mexican cement construction with French frills in
Colonia Roma
Tlacotlalpan Street
Girls from small towns
In big city putting on aires
Maids from Northern parched lands
No rain, no rain
No "chiles" to pick this year
The "padre," friend of the Senora, got them their jobs this year
Low pay or no pay
Maybe just room and board
Only Sundays off
And evenings after dishes washed
But Sundays, can't go out unless Senora with them
Such a burden for "Poor" Senora
Too busy to go
Girls must be protected from young men.
Padre entrusted them to her responsibility.
Older sister already flirting with boy working at bakery
Going for fresh bakery every day on the table.
Goes alone
Senora doesn't know about boy.
Maids would love to go to little park down beyond Viaducto on a Sunday but almost never g go anywhere.
"Poor things," Senora gives special permission for them to go with resident, "la americana"
La americana acts like a friend of theirs
Even though
Completely different level of
Education and economics
Treats them like equals
Talking to them as they serve dinner
"She must not be used to servants. It must be different in the United states,"
The Senora notices her unusual table manners.
American visits with maids after dinner
Other residents very friendly to American
At first
Many questions
Center of attention
For a whole meal
Then nothing
Treating her as non-existant
Never initiating conversation with her again
But Senora very friendly to American
Making American nervous\
Too friendly
American new at Unicersity
Going for Masters
Once a week
Very little contact
With other potential new friends
Lonely
Except for maids
Has nice room
All alone
But not responding to Senora's gushing friendliness
Afraid of Senora's advances
Soon a new girl, moves in with her
Of Arabic descent
Haughty
Hangs underwear in communal shower
Makes big deal about American's shower
Insists on schedule for showers
At night
Wakes American up,slapping her hands suddenly when American snores

Who iknows Sali must have made loud noise; no other way would she have awakened.
Sali tries to smoke American out
Senora knows about illegal smoking
But afraid to lose a resident
No confrontation about it
New resident ostensibly plays up to Senora
Tone of voice
Offering outing on a Sunday
Senora falls for it
Now American in new room
SEnora's favorite has room to herself.
A little older than other girls, Sali prides herself in managing the Senora.
Medical student
Bright pleasant withoujt aires
Letting American borrow her typewriter
Next day
Typing and typing
Not knowing she's using up casette
Senora questions her
American, being American, thinks,
"What business is it of hers"?
Realizes later nature of casette
Upsetting med student
How to fix it?
American buying her not one, but several new casettes
Med student doesn't show particular appreciation.
But what does she think?
Another resident
Banco Serfin teller
Tells American at breakfast that she took a "Palmeada" of American's soap and hoped American didn't mind.
American assured her she didn't.
And "take some whenever you want"The girl nevcer took another "palmeada"
But advised American on a good way to meet a boy friend.
Could go downtown to museum and talk to someone there and get to know him.
American never did.
Young man
Indian features
Studying medicine at UNAM
Friendly to American, looking for a department,
Helpful
But really looiking for a chance to tell her off, being an American

Brings up politics
But American's left wing
So can
't get anywhere
Starts calling her every day
Talks to Senora when American out
About American
Senora "has no friends"
Next outing
Chapultepec
Young man insinuates "has no friends" into conversation
Insults American very diplomatically
Still "friends"
Out again
At a train station
Opens fire with a barrage of semi political insults
Aimed at American
On stage of metro platform
In front of waiting passengers
American singing along
Servants 14 and 18 singing
Have booklet with words to popular songs sold at bookstand near bus stop
American singing along
Her first chance to sing a song in years
They singd "Estoy enamorado de un "fan."
Asking what a "fan" is
They can't tell her
Later finding out from someone else
Same as English
The singer is in love with a fan.
18 year old eating chele peppers
In kitche
In spite of fact that they cause her stomach aches.
Wanting to go home
Girls saying
Senora told them
To leave her alone with all that work would be a mortal sin.
Sign in Senora's window soliciting servant
But not hiring any of the many women who come for interviews
Senora going to church
Servants too
And American too
American tells girls it's not a mortal sin to leave.
Planning escape
Hiding cardboard boxes of packed clothes
American checking on travel to San Luis Potosi
First, train
Lines too long
Lots of travellors
Before Easter
Then, buses
Which Station?
San Lorenzo or Transportes del Norte?
During Senora's usual long Sunday conversation with friends
Three sneaking out side foor
Coming around to front with cardboard boxes
Crossing past living room conversation
Ducking under witdows
Refusing a couple cabs 'cause too much
Hailing small cheaper one
American paying
Big station
Must wait afternoon and all night for bus
Fear of being found out
Get situated
18 year old almost immediately finding a young man talk to
No sign of fear
Back home
All is dark
In dining room
Time for "merienda": small evening meal
Whispers
"Girls left"
"I can't believe they had the nerve."
Senora "I'm responsible for them. Anything could happen to them on the road. They could be murdered. There are hold ups all the time on that route."
American listening in own room
Worrying
Could what she says be true?
Senora: "You'll just have to get your own tea and rolls."
Senora:But someone wrote this note for them because I know they can't write My cousin is an investigator. Maybe he can help."
American thinking" "After all this time the Senora doesn't even know she can write"?
Later American lets them know she helped them.
Next day
Brother of young university friend
"You don't have to worry.
People travel that route in buses all the time. She must have been trying to scare you."