The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica

The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica Summary | American History Summary

This short story is told from the perspective of a ninth grade girl who lives in Paterson, New Jersey. Her family is Puerto Rican, and they live in a tall building that houses other families like hers who are saving money to buy their own home someday. In the meantime, the salsa music blasts from their windows along with the aromas of their spicy dishes.

The girl hates living in the city where the snow is grey and the other girls make fun of her skinny legs. She finds hope when a boy named Eugene moves into a house in the neighborhood. Eugene is a shy boy from Georgia with Southern manners and an accent that the other kids make fun of. Eugene and the girl become friends, perhaps because neither of them belongs in this place. Their friendship grows, and one night Eugene invites the girl over to study and to go to the library.

That afternoon, President John F. Kennedy is shot, and the girl's mother is shocked that her daughter still plans to see Eugene. Not only is it improper due to the tragedy, but the mother knows her daughter is headed for humiliation with this Southern white boy. The girl ignores her mother and arrives at Eugene's home only to be told by his mother that Eugene doesn't need any help with his studies. Eugene's mother says they won't be living there long so there is no need for them to form any attachment. The girl has never been humiliated by such a sweet drawl.

The girl tries to sleep but cries in her bed, not only for the dead president, but for herself. She watches the snow fall outside her window but will not look down to where it has turned gray on the street below.