A Small Town Formerly Known as Carnestolendas

Eric recounts growing up in the decade which started with Watergate and ended in malaise. His childhood, defined by family, introduces us to the matriarch Ma Julissa, a strong Christian woman who sought to instill a moral compass, Ma Milli, Ma Julissa’s daughter, Eric’s grandmother, Pa Lazzo, grandfather, an enigmatic man who personified Satan and God, Ma, eternally on the brink of a nervous breakdown, Pa, the hard luck, hard scrabble man of modest means, brothers Justin and Danny, sister Sarah, and cousins. A family emergency, a family reunion with racial overtones, a death in the family, and an ill-conceived pilgrimage to a “Curandero”, are among the events that influence Eric’s young life. After puberty sets in, life becomes much more complicated. He finds himself enamored by the charms of a sexy teacher, only to have his female classmates declare all out war on the rookie educator. Bullying, sexual harassment, attempted sexual assault, and forlorn yearnings, define his freshman year of high school as he tries to win over a girl who already has a boyfriend, has to deal with demanding teachers, band directors, and boorish classmates, and feels strained by the demands of society as he balances his friendships with gay and straight teens. Facing acts of hazing and yearning for the charms of Sofie, Eric does his best to have a good time while doing his part to get the Rio Rattler Band the success and recognition sought by the band director and pass all his classes. With the school year and decade drawing to a close, Eric's troubles parallel those of Sofie, as each one faces their own struggles with the trauma of sexual assault while hiding it from friends, parents, and each other. Survival is at risk.