Ch. 9 Efren Divided

Summary

The video script presents a poignant narrative centered around David, a student running for ASB president, and his close friend Efren. David, initially disheartened by the election's demands and his perceived lack of suitability, finds renewed vigor and determination after a pep talk from Efren. They plan a campaign strategy, including a rap video to showcase David's presidential qualities, aiming to counterbalance the intelligence and work ethic of their opponent, Jennifer. The story unfolds with moments of levity, such as David's humorous interactions and the adventures with his kitten Oreo, contrasted with deeper emotional undercurrents. Efren grapples with the dilemma of loyalty to David and the moral weight of withholding personal secrets that could impact the election. The narrative concludes with Efren seeking reconciliation with David after a misunderstanding, highlighting the importance of friendship and integrity in the face of personal and political challenges.

Takeaways

• 😔 David feels dejected and out of place after an unexpected event, indicating his vulnerability.
• 🤔 Mr. Garrett's absence and the quick exit of others suggest a lack of support for David in a moment of need.
• 👍 If's gesture of comfort towards David, by patting his shoulder, shows empathy and friendship.
• 👀 David's self-doubt about his capabilities in the election and his concerns about the workload are revealed.
• 🤓 Jennifer's success and competence are highlighted, influencing David's perception of his own campaign.
• 😣 David's realization that he may not be suited for the election process shows his internal conflict.
• 💡 If's suggestion to 'rebrand' David and show his presidential qualities is a pivotal moment in their strategy.
• 🎓 David's enthusiasm for a campaign rap video reflects his desire to stand out and engage the student body.
• 🤔 Efren's hesitation and internal struggle with loyalty towards David versus his admiration for Jennifer add depth to his character.
• 👵 David's grandmother's involvement in his life, due to his family situation, provides insight into his personal background.
• 📱 The new iPhone is introduced as a tool for David to connect with his family and as a means to film the campaign video.
• 🏠 The visit to David's house and the mention of his mother's situation adds emotional weight to David's character and his drive to prove himself.
• 🤷‍♂️ Efren's decision not to share his family's secret with David showcases his protective nature and the complexity of their friendship.
• 🌟 David's ambition to be president to change perceptions and prove his worth is a central theme of his character arc.
• 🚴 David's playful and energetic nature is demonstrated through his actions, like biking and interacting with others.
• 🤝 The final note of their friendship being strong despite the challenges, signified by their 'dapping' and Efren's silent support, is a testament to their bond.

Q & A

How does David feel after the Bell in the beginning of the script?

David feels deflated and upset, as if the air has been squeezed out of him, because he was unexpectedly put on the spot and feels he did not perform well.

What does Mr. Garrett do during the meeting?

Mr. Garrett excuses himself for a quick bathroom break, leaving David feeling down.

How does Jennifer's performance affect David?

Jennifer's performance is impressive and professional, making David feel inadequate and questioning his own abilities for the election.

What does David's friend suggest they need to do to improve David's campaign?

David's friend suggests that they need to rebrand and show the entire school how presidential David can be.

What is David's initial idea for the campaign video?

David's initial idea for the campaign video is to make a rap video that is both funny and deep, without slandering his opponent.

How does David's friend feel about the idea of the rap video?

David's friend is skeptical about the rap video idea and expresses concern that it may not be a good strategy.

What does David's friend, Efren, struggle with internally?

Efren struggles with the knowledge of Jennifer's situation and the secret of his mother's deportation. He is torn between loyalty to David and the desire to protect his family's privacy.

Why does David want to become the ASB president?

David wants to become the ASB president to prove everyone wrong about his abilities and to show that he is not just a joke, as he feels he is perceived by others.

What is the significance of the new iPhone that David receives?

The new iPhone is significant because it represents a connection with David's mother, who sent it so they could facetime each other. It also becomes a tool for David to film his campaign video.

How does David react when his friend questions his ability to be president?

David becomes defensive and upset, feeling that his friend, like others, does not believe in his capabilities.

What does Efren do to try and mend the relationship with David?

Efren prays to 'El Oso' (the bear), asking for help to patch things up with David, acknowledging the importance of their friendship.

Outlines

00:00

😀 David's Dilemma and Rebranding Strategy

In this paragraph, David is depicted as feeling deflated after a school event where he was unexpectedly put on the spot. His friend, If, tries to cheer him up by praising Jennifer's performance, which leads to a discussion about the school elections. David expresses his concerns about not being prepared and the pressure of the campaign. If suggests rebranding to show David's presidential qualities. David becomes reinvigorated and proposes a plan to make a rap video for the school announcements to stand out and not rely solely on his popularity. Despite If's doubts about the rap video idea, David remains enthusiastic and confident, ending the paragraph with an impromptu rap showcasing his campaign spirit.

05:01

🤗 Playful Antics and a Visit to Grandma's

The second paragraph focuses on David and his friend's playful banter as they navigate through their neighborhood on a bike ride. They reminisce about past experiences at Pio Pico Elementary and the various pranks and games they played. Upon arriving at David's house, they plan to make a campaign video with the help of David's new iPhone. David's grandmother, Miss Deegan, is introduced as a caring figure who agrees to watch over David's younger siblings, Max and Mia. The paragraph ends with the children's excitement about spending time with David's grandmother and the promise of ice cream.

10:02

📱 New iPhone and Campaign Strategy

In this paragraph, David and his friend discuss using the new iPhone to film a campaign video for the school's ASB president election. David is excited about the possibilities and even has a specific outfit in mind to appear more presidential. They talk about the importance of the video and David's potential presidential platform, which he humorously suggests could include getting rid of homework. The paragraph reveals David's family dynamics, including his mother's struggles and his hope for her recovery. It also highlights the tension between David and his friend regarding David's preparedness for the responsibilities of being president and relying on Jennifer as vice president.

15:02

😔 Emotional Turmoil and the Weight of Secrets

The final paragraph delves into David's emotional state and Efren's internal conflict. David feels belittled by his peers and is determined to prove himself as a serious candidate for president. Efren grapples with whether to share his family's secret about his mother's deportation with David. He ultimately decides against it, wanting to maintain the respect and equality in their friendship. The paragraph ends with Efren seeking solace in a book and later praying for help to mend his friendship with David, highlighting the importance of their relationship and Efren's desire to support his friend without compromising his family's privacy.

Keywords

💡Election

Election refers to a formal process of voting to choose a person for a public office or to make a decision. In the video's context, it is about the school election for the ASB (Associated Student Body) president. David is running for president, which is a central theme of the video as it drives the narrative and the characters' interactions.

💡Campaign

A campaign is a series of actions intended to achieve a particular goal, often used in the context of gaining support for a political candidate. In the video, David's campaign for the school presidency is a key element, showing his efforts to win the election and the challenges he faces in doing so.

💡Popularity

Popularity denotes the state of being well-liked or admired by others. In the script, David's reliance on his popularity for the election is mentioned, highlighting the struggle between popularity and substance in the campaign process and the potential pitfalls of focusing solely on being liked.

💡Loyalty

Loyalty is a strong feeling of support or allegiance. Efren's loyalty to David is tested throughout the video as he grapples with the idea of voting for Jennifer and the secrets he's keeping from David. It's a key theme that explores the dynamics of friendship and the lengths one will go to maintain it.

💡Motivation

Motivation is the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. In the video, Efren's motivation to help David is driven by their friendship and his desire to see David succeed, despite the personal challenges he is facing.

💡Rap Video

A rap video is a music video that features rap music and typically includes rhyming speech performed in a rhythmic manner. David's idea to create a rap video for his campaign is a creative approach to engage with the student body and showcase his presidential qualities in a unique way.

💡Family Secrets

Family secrets refer to private or confidential information about one's family. Efren's struggle with whether or not to share his family's secret about Amma's deportation is a significant subplot that adds emotional depth to the video and explores themes of trust and vulnerability within friendships.

💡Stereotype

A stereotype is a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. The script touches on David's experience with stereotypes, as he feels he is seen as a 'goofy Gringo' by others, which he wants to overcome through his campaign.

💡Self-Esteem

Self-esteem refers to the respect and confidence one has in one's own worth. David's campaign is partly driven by a desire to improve his self-esteem by proving the community wrong about their perceptions of him.

💡Community College

A community college is a type of educational institution that offers two-year degrees and other educational programs. David's mother attending a community college is mentioned, symbolizing a positive change in her life and providing a hopeful note for David's family situation.

💡Undocumented

Undocumented refers to a person not having the legal documents required to reside in a particular country. The term is relevant as it is part of Jennifer's backstory, which Efren is aware of but chooses not to disclose to David, adding to the complexity of the characters' relationships.

Highlights

David is feeling down after an unexpected situation in class, showing his vulnerability.

Mr. Garrett's absence and quick bathroom break suggest a lack of support for David.

Jennifer's performance is praised, highlighting her intelligence and work ethic.

David expresses his unease with the pressures of the election process.

Efren, David's friend, offers reassurance and suggests rebranding David's image.

David's enthusiasm returns as he considers focusing on issues and keeping his campaign clean.

The idea of creating a campaign video is introduced, aiming to be both funny and deep.

David's confidence is evident as he raps about his plans for being ASB president.

Efren struggles with his loyalty to David and his admiration for Jennifer.

David's plan for a rap video as a campaign strategy is met with skepticism from Efren.

David's resilience is shown as he continues to be active and social despite his challenges.

Efren's internal conflict about revealing his family's secret to David is palpable.

David's emotional response to being seen as a joke by others reveals his deep-seated insecurities.

Efren's decision to withhold his family's situation from David to prevent pity shows his protective nature.

David receives a new iPhone from his mother, symbolizing a potential for connection and support.

Efren's silent prayer reflects his hope for resolution in his friendship with David and his family situation.

Transcripts

nine

even after the Bell David stayed slumped

down in his seat looking as if the air

had somehow been squeezed out from his

body

everyone else except for a friend had

hurried out including Mr Garrett who'd

excused himself for a quick bathroom

break

if then walked over and patted David on

the shoulder

hey you all right

David's side letting out a deep breath

yeah I guess I just wasn't expecting to

be put on the spot like that

he ran his fingers through his hair

Jennifer really killed it sounded like a

real Pro

she is pretty smart super hard working

too

David gave ephrine a look

if then answered with a shrug what I'm

just telling it like it is

David's head plopped against his desk

man I didn't know elections were this

much work

maybe Mr Garrett's right

I might not be cut out for this sort of

thing

Mr Garrett never said that didn't have

to it's pretty obvious who he's rooting

for

there was no arguing that point maybe

but that's only because he doesn't know

you like I do

that's why I think we need to Rebrand

you show the entire School how

presidential you can be

David's body sprang back up

so does he smile you're right

I can't just count on my popularity I've

got to focus on the issues and keep the

campaign clean like a baby's butt

if it ain't crunched his forehead I'm

not so sure baby butts are all that

clean of course they are otherwise

they'd get all rashy

now re-energized David flung his

backpack over his shoulder and gestured

toward the door come on you've got an

election to win Miss Salah says we need

a short presentation for next week's

morning announcements I'm thinking of

filming a campaign video

you can be in it too if you want

took a deep breath bracing himself for

one of David's crazy plans

our video needs to be funny but deep

David said without sundering my opponent

I think you mean slandering like

politicians do on TV ads evidence in

walking toward the door yeah none of

that

none of that it was music to a friend's

ears was David finally taking things

more seriously had a friend been wrong

maybe there was nothing to actually

worry about

when I win David added jamming his thumb

into his chest I want to know is because

the best man won

that's why my presentation's gonna be a

music video and not just any video he

said a rap video

a friend squeegees his face with the

palm of his hand immediately his mind

replayed part of his talk with Jennifer

especially the part when she hugged him

had the election been that day A friend

just might have voted for her instead

and this was not okay with Efren

no no colluding with the Enemy

he had to stay loyal to David at all

costs

maybe David just needed a little help a

little motivation to act more like well

like Jennifer

as your campaign manager evidence said

it's my job to advise you tell you

things you might not want to hear things

like I'm not sure this rap video is a

good idea

David stopped under the classroom

doorway with a Blank Stare good point

anyone can make a rap video see that's

why I pay you the big bucks

he raised a hand up high in the air

setting up for a high five so I'm gonna

freestyle

if then lifted his arm and with a forced

smile slapped David's hand

he may have been smiling on the outside

but he was definitely wincing inside

David reach for the door and shut it

behind him before breaking out into a

rhyme down the hall

hold up take a listen I'm running for

ASB president and yes I glisten I will

make it happen I have a plan for a

better school I am your man everyone

knows I am the goat so get out today get

out and vote

a friend's mind struggled for just the

right thing to say

I can't picture anybody doing what you

just did

David smile was Wily I know right

David's extra bounce lasted all day it

even made him peddle extra hard while

giving a friend a ride home on the

handlebars of his bike

David made it a point to sway around the

many potholes on the road but

occasionally stood up and leaned forward

for an added burst of speed

this made the road feel bumpier but a

friend didn't mind

knowing he'd make it on time to pick up

the twins made the pain worth it

David greeted anyone and everyone they

passed even the shirtless old guy who

liked to read the newspaper from his

porch while rubbing his hairy belly

if it ain't gripped The Handlebar

cushion and clung on tight for dear life

all while trying to act as cool as

possible

are you sure your grandma won't mind

having the little traviesos over

you kidding she loves babying people

especially pint-sized twins with

adorable cheeks I'm telling you the

Trick's gonna be getting them back from

her even with her arthritis we might

have to pry them from her hands

if then shook his head and cringed I

don't know what's worse your jokes are

these potholes

haha David said purposely hitting a dip

on the road

good thing for evidence but the Pio Pico

Elementary was just around the corner

when they got to the school the sidewalk

was filled with moms pushing fancy

second-hand strollers chatting

exchanging the latest neighborhood

chismane

evident tried keeping his head down the

neighborhood was full of chismosos and

the last thing he wanted was anyone

talking about him orama

fortunately the foot traffic didn't slow

David in the least in fact it just

seemed to encourage him to speed up

hold on F mom

what do you think I'm doing

except for one close call El periquito

Blanco stood up on his bike and

successfully zigzagged his way around

everyone finally reaching the playground

see told you we'd make it before the

Bell

if then leaped off the bike pulling the

wedgie out of his butt I'm thinking

about taking the bus next time

David leaned his bike beside the outdoor

lunch tables

it's not about the ride it's the company

that matters

I don't know tons of really nice old

people ride the bus if then took a seat

beside David

it's weird coming back here huh dude I

still have nightmares about this place

if Flynn laughed and then pointed to a

dirt patch separating the lunch and play

area

you remember the marble game when we

played Gilberto and Rodrigo and

pretended like we didn't know how to

play

hey they're the ones who insisted on

Playing for Keeps they were trying to

con us

I can't believe we won so many marbles

remember when the bell rang and your

shorts fell down as you started running

to the line yep the weight from the

marbles made my shorts drop down to my

ankles I tripped and all the marbles

came flying out of my pockets David

snort left man we caused such a mess

every kid out in recess came running

over it was a total marble free-for-all

if then leaned back laughing there was

so much screaming the teachers came out

from the lounge trying to figure out

what was going on that was embarrassing

David shook his head sighing deeply

that's the same day I switched over to

boxer shorts you know just in case

it doesn't matter if everyone laughed

you were little

you didn't laugh in fact you never do

with bleary eyes David held out his hand

Efren couldn't believe he'd ever

considered voting for Jennifer he

extended his hand and the two dapped in

perfect sink with a friend easing up at

the end letting David get the thumb war

pin no matter how much a friend

respected Jennifer there was no way he

was going to portray David no way now if

only he could tell him about what was

going on with Amma

the walk to David's house went smoothly

especially now that Max and Mia were

once again talking to Ethan

they couldn't wait to meet David's

Grandma especially after he told them

that she always kept a freezer full of

ice cream which was true

the only thing not true was the reason

for the visit as friend told David Amma

had changed her work hours

David's house was small and simple but

it had a big yard actually it had an

enormous yard it had to be considering

the size of the huge oak tree that

towered in it this broccoli-shaped giant

was the most amazing tree a Flynn had

ever seen in person

a friend and David often talked about

building a tree house right smack in the

middle David wanted to have both Wi-Fi

and a microwave so they could stream

movies and eat popcorn he also insisted

that it have no ladder just a climbing

rope designed to keep all wimps out

especially girls

David even Drew up Blueprints and posted

them over his bed waiting for his dad's

help to make it happen

but that was just an empty promise like

the one he'd made about visiting often

in the meantime the tree was pretty fun

as it was

so is the knee-high grass that allowed

them to hide during their Infamous

Walnut battles with the other Kids on

the Block

games there might have been painful but

they were equally fun

Max Mia you guys better be on your best

behavior

David's grandma is going to be watching

you but she's got a bad hip and can't

chase after you okay

both Max and Mia hooked pinkies and

promised

David reached into his pocket and pulled

out a tiny soccer keychain with the LA

Galaxy team logo just about smeared off

in

the second he opened the front door his

little kitten Oreo came running over

Max's eye spraying wide open

he said barging forward with both arms

extended in front of him fortunately for

Oreo Efren managed to pull him back by

the shirt

no you don't you're going to scare her

if it ain't bent down until he was eye

level with Max you wouldn't want to

scare the kitten would you

Max shook his head don't worry katitos

love me

David scooped up the squealing kitten

and cuddled her in the fold of his arm

she likes it when you scratch her

Heflin took a step back not me I'm

allergic remember

Max and Mia began raking their fingers

along her back making Oreo purr

just then David's Grandma came into the

living room her cane didn't seem to slow

her down much these two precious little

ones must be Max and Mia

hello Miss Deegan eflin said thank you

so much for agreeing to watch them while

David and I work on the campaign she

smiled hi afren but it was obvious that

her attention was already on the twins

she came up to Max first and squeezed

his chubby cheeks like most people did

who met him for the first time

Max didn't mind his cheeks were used to

getting pinched Mia not so much she

immediately covered her cheeks with her

hands making Miss Deegan laugh you too

she turned to David go work on that

project

I'll watch these adorable children

David gave her a peck on the cheek and

then lowered Oreo onto the floor Thank

you Grandma

with that the boy's headed to David's

room

the hallway walls were almost completely

covered with picture frames mostly of

David back when he was little back

before his parents separated back before

his mother began to drink a lot and

David's Grandma had to take him in

a friend pointed at a photo of David

being bathed in the kitchen sink man you

were chubbier than Max look at those

arms

David laughed I know right I keep

telling Grandma that must be some other

adorable looking kid

he reached for the door to his room

sprouting a huge grin wait till you see

my new toy

new toy knowing David a new toy could be

anything a new slingshot a new

skateboard maybe even new jewelry let me

guess you got a new efren's jaw dropped

as he entered the room in the corner on

David's desk set a new iPhone

a friend rushed to pick it up his entire

face gleaming oh my god when did you get

this

yesterday my mom sent it to me said this

way we could face time with each other

anytime we want

maybe my dad will get one too David's

eyes welled up just a bit but I was

thinking we could use it to film The

Campaign video I've got the perfect

thing to wear too

he rushed over to his closet and pulled

out a white dress shirt and a tie

grandma bought me this Fork he paused

embarrassed for Sunday school she says

it'll keep me from getting possessed

like Mom

how is she doing a friend asked better

David said slipping into the dress shirt

and snapping on the clip-on tie she just

got a new job and is taking classes at a

community college I think she'll make it

this time

this wasn't the first time A friend had

heard David talk like this

he likes seeing David happy and filled

with hope but hated seeing him hurt each

time his mom relapsed and started

drinking again

nevertheless he smiled and nodded of

course she will

David took a deep breath before he

reached for his phone entered his

password and handed it back to afren

where should we film

a friend looked around the room only now

noticing how tidy everything was you

even cleaned your room

last time I was here I accidentally sat

on a pile of dirty socks and underwear

that's not true David said grinning the

socks weren't dirty

nasty evident said he held up the phone

and pointed at the desk I think this

desk makes you look presidential what do

you think

indubitably said David

see the clothes are making me sound

smarter too

Amsterdam focused the camera directly at

him alright Mr smartypants I mean smarty

shirt why don't you tell us about your

presidential platform

my what why don't you tell us about all

the amazing things you're planning to do

as president

David looked up at the ceiling I don't

know how about getting rid of homework

um if I didn't put the camera down you

know you can't really do that right

I don't know David said shifting his

butt at the edge of his chair what does

the president even do

yesterday shook his head

maybe you should have paid less

attention to the conscious Masala spot

and more attention to the ASB candidate

meeting

David glared at a friend and then down

at the ground it's not that big a deal

I'll put together the biggest school

party ever and everyone will be happy

besides if I win I'll have Jennifer as

vice president you know she's going to

be full of suggestions I can just follow

her lead

I feel inside

dude then why are we voting for you

immediately a friend regretted his words

but it was too late the room felt

suddenly hotter

you don't think I can do this do you

no it's not like that David's nostrils

flared this whole neighborhood thinks

I'm just some goofy Gringo to laugh at

David's voice began to break being

president is my chance to prove everyone

wrong

a friend's mind raised for a response

I guess the joke's on me huh David

continued actually he said correcting

himself I am the joke Mr Garrett made

that perfectly clear in class

you're not a joke David

oh please David scoffed El periquito

Blanco that's what kids call me they

don't even bother to do it behind my

back they think I'm too stupid to

understand them making fun of my white

skin and big nose

it's just a joke they're just messing

with you no big deal

David shook his head like there was

nothing more to say

if I didn't wanted to fix this I wanted

to tell him all about Jennifer about her

parents being undocumented about her

wanting to make a real difference at

school

but that was the secret

he couldn't repeat that he thought again

about why he hadn't told David about a

ma having been deported they'd known

each other for so many years shared so

much like countless harito sodas

telling David about Amma would make a

huge difference

he'd have to understand

mayama got deported

four simple words that was it and yet

the words carried so much hurt they

seemed to swell and get lodged in his

throat

effort into a deep breath finally he

spoke only something totally different

came out I'd better go Maxie and Mia

must be driving your grandmother crazy

he gently tossed David's phone onto the

bed

fine answer David don't worry about the

video I can do it myself

I know you can a friend left the door

open just in case David called him back

but he never did

that night after eventually getting the

twins to bed a friend headed back to the

bathtub this time with pillow and

blanket in tow

he opened the library copy of The House

on Mango Street turn to the page where

he left off and Tried reading but his

mind shifted to David he never meant to

hurt his friend's feelings

it wasn't that a friend didn't trust him

with the family's secret actually it was

the exact opposite a friend knew David

would go home and tell his grandma he

knew they'd bring over cooked meals and

probably offer him some money that was

the problem

David knew just about everything about a

friend knew about his family living in a

tiny studio apartment

knew about their sleeping on mattresses

on the floor knew about a friend's

second-hand clothes and toys

and yet David had never pitied him

Efren wanted to keep it that way

a sudden stared at the drip coming from

the faucet and thought about the old

story he'd heard about a Dutch boy who'd

Save The Village by plugging a hole in

the dam with his thumb

eventually he pulled off his sock with

his other foot and stuck his big toe

inside the faucet

he might not be a hero like that boy but

he could at least try to make things

right between him and David

he had to

first of ma now this Efron closed his

book and blessed himself with the sign

of the cross

the osito it's me I know that you've

been busy looking out for Amma and

helping us to get her back

but if you can could you help me patch

things up with David too

he's my best friend and I kind of need

one right now

gracias

I couldn't leaned back against his

pillow his eyelids became unbearably

heavy and even with the bright lights

shining above

you couldn't fight off the sleep