Efren Divided Chapter 3 by Ernesto Cisneros Read aloud

Summary

In this heartfelt narrative, Max and Mia eagerly await their father, APA, after work, seeking connection despite his exhaustion. Their father, Efren, struggles with the reality of his wife's deportation, grappling with fear and responsibility as the family's protector. The story captures the emotional turmoil of a family torn by immigration policies, highlighting moments of joy, love, and the painful absence of their mother, who promises to return soon, leaving Efren with the heavy task of caring for their children.

Takeaways

• 👨‍👧‍👦 Max and Mia are often awake when their father, APA, returns from work and they eagerly seek his attention.
• 📚 APA tries to spend quality time with his children despite his busy and uncertain work schedule.
• 🏠 The family faces the reality of their mother's deportation and the emotional impact it has on them, especially on Efren.
• 👀 Efren is aware of the immigration raids and the fear they instill in his community, which affects even family outings.
• 👮‍♂️ The presence of ICE officers in public places creates a palpable sense of fear and tension for the family.
• 🏖️ The mother's absence is deeply felt, especially during family activities that she used to participate in, like beach trips.
• 📞 A phone call from the deported mother brings a mix of relief and further concern for the family's future.
• 📝 APA takes notes and makes calls, showing his efforts to manage the situation and stay connected with his wife.
• 🛌 Max and Mia are oblivious to the severity of their situation, enjoying their childhood while their older brother Efren worries.
• 👦 Efren is given the responsibility to look after his siblings in his mother's absence, highlighting his maturity and the weight of his role.
• 😔 Efren struggles with sleep and misses the comforting presence of his mother, indicating the emotional toll the situation takes on him.

Q & A

What is the usual state of Max and Mia when APA returns from work?

Max and Mia are often still awake when APA returns from work.

How do Max and Mia react when APA enters the apartment?

Max and Mia clamor onto APA's legs, with Max sitting on one foot and Mia on the other, calling for their turn to be lifted.

What is the sign that Max has something important on his mind?

Max's lips are pressed tightly together, indicating he has something important on his mind.

How does APA engage with his children when he has time with them?

APA engages with his children by playing soccer, going to the playground, or watching a soccer game on TV with them.

What is the main concern of Efren about his mother's deportation?

Efren is concerned because he can't think of anyone who has been deported and made it back to the neighborhood.

Why does APA take the family to Denny's for a special treat?

APA takes the family to Denny's because of a 'kids eat free' deal, intending to treat the family to something special.

What is the cause of the fear and nervousness at the Denny's restaurant?

The fear and nervousness are caused by the presence of two ICE officers wearing shirts with 'ICE' printed on them.

What is the nickname given to Efren's mother by her children and what does it mean?

Efren's mother is called 'Piojito' by her children, a term she used when she would run her fingers through their hair to soothe them to sleep, mimicking the technique she used to delouse the twins.

What is the promise that Efren's mother asks him to make on the phone?

Efren's mother asks him to promise to look after his brother and sister, especially Max, while she is away.

What is the emotional state of Efren after the phone call with his mother?

Efren is emotional and misses his mother deeply, wishing he could go to sleep and wake up to find the day's events were just a bad dream.

How does the script describe the bond between Efren and his mother?

The bond between Efren and his mother is described as very close and comforting, with her presence and touch being able to soothe him to sleep.

Outlines

00:00

👨‍👧‍👦 Family Dynamics Amidst Hardship

The first paragraph introduces the family's routine when APA, the father, returns from work to find his children Max and Mia still awake. Despite the day's fatigue, he engages with them, lifting them playfully. The narrative shifts to highlight the absence of their mother, who has been deported. The children are unaware of the gravity of the situation, but Efren, the eldest, is burdened by the reality. The family's attempts to maintain normalcy through activities like soccer and watching TV are contrasted with the growing fear of ICE raids and the father's struggle to protect his family from the harsh realities of their situation.

05:01

📞 Emotional Connection Across Distance

In the second paragraph, the family's emotional state is further explored as APA receives a phone call from Emma, the deported mother. The call is filled with emotion and reveals her plans to return to Mexico temporarily. Efren listens in, feeling the weight of his mother's request for him to take care of his siblings. The conversation underscores the family's longing for her return and the father's late-night efforts to make arrangements. Efren's struggle with sleeplessness and his longing for the comfort of his mother's presence are poignantly depicted, highlighting the emotional toll of their separation.

Keywords

💡Deportation

Deportation refers to the act of forcing a person to leave a country, especially someone who is not a citizen. In the video's theme, it is a central issue affecting the family, causing the mother's absence and the father's fear for his family's safety. The script mentions the mother being deported, which is a source of tension and concern for the characters.

💡Family

Family is a fundamental concept in the script, representing the close-knit group of individuals who are connected by blood, marriage, or adoption. The video emphasizes the importance of family through the interactions between the father, his children Max and Mia, and the absent mother. The family's dynamic is central to the narrative, showing love, support, and the challenges they face due to the mother's deportation.

💡Fear

Fear is a strong emotional response to a perceived threat or danger. In the script, the characters experience fear due to the mother's deportation and the potential for further family separation by immigration enforcement. The fear is palpable in scenes where the father senses danger in public places and when the family avoids going outside due to the presence of ICE officers.

💡ICE

ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a law enforcement agency in the United States responsible for enforcing immigration laws. The script uses ICE as a symbol of the threat faced by the family due to their undocumented status. The presence of ICE officers in public spaces creates a tense atmosphere and affects the family's daily life.

💡Cultural Identity

Cultural identity refers to the sense of belonging to a cultural group, which is often defined by shared traditions, language, and history. The script hints at the family's cultural identity through references to Mexican traditions, such as the tamarindo candy and the children's names, Max and Mia, which may suggest a Latinx heritage.

💡Separation

Separation in this context refers to the physical and emotional distance caused by the mother's deportation. It is a key theme in the script, illustrating the emotional toll it takes on the family, especially on the father and the children who miss their mother's presence and care.

💡Resilience

Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from difficulties or adapt to change. The script showcases the father's resilience as he tries to maintain a sense of normalcy for his children despite the challenges they face. His actions, such as continuing to engage with his children and trying to reassure them, demonstrate strength in the face of adversity.

💡Hope

Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen. The script conveys hope through the mother's phone call, where she expresses her intention to return soon. This provides a glimmer of optimism amidst the family's difficult circumstances.

💡Community

Community refers to a group of people living in the same place or having particular characteristics in common. The script implies a supportive community around the family, as seen in the father's interactions with friends and the mention of Aunt Martha, suggesting a network of people who care for each other.

💡Uncertainty

Uncertainty is a state of being unsure about what may happen in the future. The script captures the family's uncertainty regarding the mother's return and the father's status, as they navigate the challenges of living under the constant threat of deportation.

💡Childhood Innocence

Childhood innocence refers to the purity and lack of guile often associated with children. The script contrasts the innocence of Max and Mia, who are unaware of the full extent of their family's situation, with the harsh realities faced by the adults. Their innocence is highlighted in scenes where they play and enjoy simple pleasures, oblivious to the underlying tension.

Highlights

Max and Mia are often awake when their father, APA, returns from work and they eagerly greet him.

APA tries to spend as much time as possible with his children despite his challenging work schedule.

Ephron, the father, is worried about his wife's deportation and the impact it has on his family.

The family enjoys simple activities together like playing soccer and watching TV, highlighting the importance of family bonding.

Ephron's wife is deported, leaving the family in distress and uncertainty about her return.

APA tries to reassure his children by maintaining a strong facade, even though he is deeply affected by his wife's absence.

The community is impacted by ICE raids, causing fear and anxiety among families.

APA and his family experience the tension and fear caused by the presence of ICE officers in public places.

Ephron's wife calls to inform them she will be released back into Mexico and plans to go to Ensenada.

Ephron's wife asks him to take care of their children, especially Max, who tends to get into trouble.

Ephron struggles with the emotional weight of his wife's absence and the responsibility of caring for his siblings.

The family's dynamic is affected by the deportation, with Ephron stepping up to support his father.

Ephron's mother's absence is deeply felt, especially during bedtime rituals and moments of comfort.

Ephron misses his mother's comforting presence and the unique way she would help him fall asleep.

The story highlights the emotional turmoil and challenges faced by families dealing with deportation.

The narrative emphasizes the importance of family unity and the impact of separation due to deportation policies.

Ephron's longing for his mother's return and the hope for a better future for his family is a central theme.

Transcripts

chapter 3 although it didn't happen very

often Max and Mia were still awake when

APA returned from work no matter what

books a friend read or how many stories

he told them Max and Mia want to go to

sleep probably all the poor parindo

candy Donya gave them

dressed in maxing matching fleece

onesies they clam clamped onto each of

his legs the second he entered the

apartment

he looked up at Ephron his lips breast

tight a sure sign he had something

important on his mind apatostas heavy

jacket and lunch pail onto the floor

while trying to keep his balance

Mia hollered waving her her arm in the

air has a paw bounced his leg up and

down now me Max sat on a Paw's other

foot calling for his turn Hapa took a

deep breath and embraced himself before

playfully straining to lift Max off the

floor

[Music]

Max's weight is end up tumbling down

onto the mattress closest to the door

everyone in the room laughed all except

Ephron who sat alone at the table

waiting to talk with his dad friend

looked up his face still covered with

Street dirt from where he'd wiped away

sweat earlier he exchanged a worried

look with Efren having to chase work

wherever he could find out about did not

get much time or did not get to spend

much time with his family but when he

did he made a point of spending as much

time with him as possible

sometimes he and efferent would kick a

soccer ball around while Max and Mia

went up and down the playground slide

other times when opposed back was too

sore to play and Max and Mia let them

they'd pop a fresh batch of popcorn pop

themselves under the mattress and watch

a soccer game on TV there'd be no

playing today APA approached Efren

tossled his hair and pulled him into a

tight hug note

Efron wanted to believe him and trust a

power would find a way of bringing his

mother back only Efron couldn't think of

a single person who'd been deported and

made it back to the neighborhood and

that scared him more than anything else

Mia said walking up where well

shamelessly adjusting her underwear

again pressed his lips tightly together

she went to visit her Aunt Martha she

said she'd bring back some of that

tamarindo candy you guys like so much

the answer seemed to satisfy Mia's

curiosity a friend wished it were that

simple for him as much as the adults

liked keeping kids in the dark Efren had

heard enough he knew about the raids

happening around the country around the

state around his City

and there had been other changes to

tecapa for example last summer he made a

point of coming home early on at least

one day and taking the entire family to

the beach Max and Mia would stay seated

exactly where the waves ended and with

plastic shovel and bucket they'd work on

creating the largest castles possible

Efren would take his cheap styrofoam

boogie board and ride each Breaking wave

until he ended up face to face with Max

and Mia but over the last few months

seemed to come up with all sorts of

excuses not to take the family outside

the neighborhood and Efren understood

why he'd heard about ice setting up

checkpoints and literally taking people

off the streets he'd heard about ice

helicopters scaring people out of their

homes and Hauling them away he'd even

heard of ice making stops at Mexican

geared supermarkets and handcuffing

anyone who couldn't prove they belonged

whether the rumors were true or not they

sounded real enough to worry him and he

wasn't the only one one time Denny's

friend was having a kids eat free deal

so apanama decided to treat the family

to something special but when they were

escorted to a corner booth that friend

could sense something was wrong both

look nervous jittery even the reason was

simple there were two white officers she

did it directly across the aisle each

wearing khaki cargo pants and black

shirts with the word ice printed in

giant white letters and no matter how

hard upon Amma tried hiding if Efren

could sense Their Fear and that was

scary in itself Abba was the strongest

bravest man he knew and yet he was no

match against an entire country trying

to get rid of him APA looked over at

Efren and as if he could read his mind

leaned over and kissed the top of his

head before turning his attention back

to the little ones one at a time he

picked them up and swirled them about

the room as if they were superheroes Max

extended his arms out in front of him

pretending to be Superman me on the

other hand waved a pretend Mallet like

her favorite Mexican TV hero El chapulin

Colorado but even this Crimson

grasshopper couldn't bring a smile to a

friend's face

have friend watched Max and Mia laughing

jealous of how clueless they were to

what had happened part of him a larger

part than he'd like to admit even wished

he could be picked up and kept in the

dark too unfortunately the only

superhero he wanted to hear from was his

own silver woman and he wasn't sure how

her ability to flip steaming tortillas

with her bare hands was going to help

her get home

Efren had hoped that Apache and he could

talk once the little ones had settled

into bed to help speed up the process he

helped them with their prayers and then

read from their favorite Dr Seuss book

the snitches and Other Stories Max and

Mia rub their round bellies and chanted

along with every single word two and a

half readings later they were asleep

on normal nights up I would come home

kiss the entire family and head straight

into the shower but tonight up bot took

a seat at the table still wearing his

muddy boots and jeans silently staring

at the phone while picking at the dead

skin hanging off his weathered

fingertips Efren took a seat beside him

unsure of what to say

the thick silence broke as the house

phone finally ranging up uh sprang off

his chair Efren stood and leaned in

close to him holding his breath in hopes

of hearing a Ma's voice again it was

Emma her words were muffled but full of

emotion Efren wanted to call out to her

but he didn't want to wake the twins

instead he forced himself back in onto

his chair and observed as APA jotted

down notes on to the back of a napkin

though even though his eyes told a

different story Abo's voice sounded

strong and reassuring

finally he turned back to Efren a rare

smile appearing

held the phone out as much as he wanted

to sound as confident as a father was no

overcoming the clump of emotions pinned

to the back of his throat AMA tears

poured down his face where are you she

sniffled I'm fine mijo Efron wished he

could believe her really I'm fine she

insisted I'm getting released back into

Mexico tomorrow don't worry about me I'm

thinking about going down to Ensenada

spending some time at the beach

in spite of himself her friend laughed

he knew she hated the ocean the smell of

dead fish and the squawking of Seagulls

but when will you come back be back

I'mma took a moment to answer soon very

soon but in the meantime I need you to

promise me one thing her friend shut his

eyes and nodded see clado I'm going to

need you to look after your brother and

sister especially Max you know the kind

of trouble that boy gets into note

I want you to enjoy your time off work

on your tan a bit her voice now quivered

as she laughed efferenteamo muchisimo I

know I love you too he passed the phone

back to his father who continued writing

down notes and making phone calls late

into the night Efren lay in bed awake

swatting away the occasional arm from

his face if only he could go to sleep

and wake up to find that the entire day

had been a bad dream then he would sit

beside Amma at The Breakfast Table and

tell her about David's decision to run

for president about all the crazy

campaign promises and posters my mom

would laugh and shake her head like she

always did whenever she heard any of the

crazy

Blanco dreamed up

but there would be no laughter anytime

soon not until his mother returned in

the past whenever Efren found himself

struggling to sleep he'd simply roll off

his mattress and climb up beside her

somehow no matter the time she'd always

sense his presence and wrap her arms

around him and then on cue she'd say a

short prayer before running her fingers

along his hair boy piojito style she

called it that because she mimicked the

technique she'd used to delouse the

twins after their first month of

kindergarten her fingers were magical

good for much more than flipping

tortillas they were warm and soothing to

the point that anyone under their care

would slip into a restful sleep in

minutes even a bar was not immune to

their power but there would be no Pio

piojitos tonight that night Efren lay in

bed watching apatos and turn like their

light kaheta brown hair and crooked

Smiles they now have this in common too

Efren tried distracting his mind with

positive thoughts but all the positivity

he could muster was the fact that he

positively missed his mother