Juana and Diane will save each other’s lives with a friendship that gets them through everything. And those girls are always up to something—eating goat burritos on July 4th, sneaking up on a garage roof to watch a couple kiss and wonder about romance, and surviving the meanest kid in school. Then another summer arrives, and ends in heartbreak and hope for the best amigas.
Please enjoy this sample:
Independence Day and the goat
Even though we grew up in America, our family celebrated July Fourth like it was a Mexican holiday that just happened to take place in the USA. Pop always cooked up a goat every year. He found a farmer who had them and bought a nice fat one because we had a big family. I never did get the connection between goat and Independence Day, especially for the goat.
A few days before the party, Pop tied up the goat behind the garage. Because I couldn’t eat anything I’d met, I avoided the spot. I didn’t want those big balls of goat eyes looking at me with a plea to set it free so that it wouldn’t be turned into burritos. But at night, I swore I could hear bleating and covered my ears with a pillow.
The morning of July Fourth, Pop got up early to kill and skin the goat in the garage. By noon, pieces of goat steamed in a metal trash can over hot coals, making the backyard smell wild and savory. As if pulled in by the smell, cousins, compadres, and friends soon began to arrive carrying covered dishes and cold drinks. Pop also invited the neighbors–not only because he was a generous guy who loved to talk with people–but that way they wouldn’t complain about the noise from our party. He had even invited Tony’s family, but they were going to a cousin’s house. Although disappointed, I knew I’d still have a good time.
And did our family love to throw parties. Mommy and Pop always were cooking for, or cleaning up after one. If not for the Fourth of July, then it was for Christmas, baptisms, or birthdays. Most of the family celebrations took place at our house because we had a big fenced yard and a bug zapper.
Our relatives brought food to share, but everyone wanted goat. Pop served him up on a warm tortilla with salsa. The goat tasted good, like I had just tasted a summer day. Our family and friends washed him down with beer and pop and asked for seconds and even thirds.
I loved my relatives.