We Were Here

Miguel describes himself as “about ten times smarter than everyone in Juvi” (7). When Miguel gives a sarcastic response to a question posed by his cellmate, Rondell, as to the topic of his writing, Rondell responds by pressing his “giant grass-stained shoe down on [Miguel’s] neck” (7). Miguel experiences what might be described as a death wish during this situation, noting that he almost wanted Rondell to “crush my neck, break my windpipe” (7) and imagining his mother’s sadness, mixed with relief, upon being advised of his death.

Miguel describes Rondell in unflattering terms in his journal. He realizes that the other boy is illiterate when he pretends to read the contents and tosses the book on the table.

Miguel writes about how quickly, convincingly, and frequently his brother, Diego, is able to lie. He recalls an incident when he and his brother were punching each other in the school hallway after Diego was angered for a reason neither remembers. Miguel is afraid, since their mother has advised them that she would send them to their paternal grandparents’ Fresno home to work as crop pickers if they receive one more school detention. 

Diego’s verbal dexterity is illustrated when he retrieves a copy of West Side Story from his bag and tells Principal Cody that Miguel was helping him to practice to audition for a part in the performance. Diego charms Principal Cody into reminiscing about trips to the New York City theatre during his honeymoon, congratulating the principal on his upcoming twenty-eighth wedding anniversary. Subsequently, Diego advises Miguel that he has never read the play; Miguel reads the entire work later that night, and is impressed with the perfection of Diego’s lie. 

Miguel journals that the group home is inhabited by “punks and posers and loud-mouths and skeleton-ass baseheads” (13). He is annoyed by the “corny” paintings and sentimental posters used as decorations. He realizes that his name has been entered on the dry-erase board used to schedule the chore roster, and has merely been entered over another name that was crossed out. He notes that “it’s only the damn names that change” (14).

Miguel questions the rehabilitative qualities of being incarcerated with “a bunch of dummies” (14). 

Miguel describes the group home driver, an older “black dude named Lester” (15) who speaks with a Jamaican accent. Lester lectures about the history of the group home and its goal of rehabilitating the residents. Miguel deliberately ignores the older man.

The house counselor, Jaden, is described as a blonde-haired, blue-eyed young man whom Miguel feels appears out of place among the African-American and Mexican group home residents. He refers to the group home as a “lighthouse” when conversing with Miguel, noting its bright yellow paint, and he addresses all the residents as “bro.”

Miguel is shown to his room, which he is to share with an Oakland native named Jackson. Jaden notes that Jackson is set back by a “[l]ittle bit of a drug habit” (16). Miguel notes dozens of initials carved into his bed frame by prior residents, and realizes that he is now “another random kid in their system” (16). He ruminates upon having destroyed his family and wonders if he will ever see his mother again. The young man experiences terrible stomach cramps while Jaden is talking, and they continue when Jaden suggests that they talk in his office.

During their conversation, Jaden notes Miguel’s 3.4 GPA, and suggests that he consider attending college. He talks about the difficulties of group home life, but Miguel runs to the nearest bathroom and starts dry-heaving. He is humiliated when he realizes that he has “tears […] running down [his] stupid-ass face” (19) and imagines how Diego would mock him for this.

Miguel is involved in a fight on his second day in the residence. Jaden asks the six other young men to greet their new resident, and Miguel looks at them and mutters “[b]itches” under his breath. He screams the word at a Chinese boy who asks him to repeat the word; in response, the boy, Mong, spits on Miguel. The two engage in a fist fight, which Braden interrupts. Miguel is confused by the odd, otherworldly, smiling affect that overcomes his adversary, Mong; he realizes that Mong has a nearly insane countenance. After another spitting incident, the pair fight again.

Jaden reminds Mong that he will be sent back to “Juvi,” should he continue to fight; he reminds Miguel that he will probably be released from his sentence early if he stays out of trouble. Miguel, enraged by Mong’s calm demeanor, attempts to exercise “that thing I can do with my mind” (24) and wishes that “something worse than bad” (24) would happen to Mong.

Subsequently, another resident tells Miguel that Les transports Mong to an unknown location for several hours every other day. No one knows the purpose of these trips. 

Miguel largely isolates himself from the other residents; however, Tommy and Rene annoy him by approaching him in the yard during their lunch break. Tommy’s obesity appalls the narrator, but he persists in trying to engage Miguel in conversation. The two boys wish to warn the new resident about Mong, advising that he is “sick in the head” (26). Miguel advises them that they should not waste their time talking to him; Tommy responds that Rene had merely wished to help a fellow Mexican.

Miguel stares at the dead grass on the ground, noting that he is surrounded by flies and wearing the same clothes and white shoes as the other residents. He becomes increasingly depressed and is unable to stop imagining a YouTube video being made of the group home.

The other boys relate additional incidents illustrating Mong’s demented behavior. On one occasion, Mong defecated on the kitchen table after a counselor rebuked him for cracking the tabletop. Another event involved Mong snapping the arm of a slightly-built, 15-year-old resident who had accused him of cheating in a card game, adding that “the bone was stickin’ straight out of his arm” (30). They note that, ironically, Mong is extremely bright.

Having maintained his silence throughout the conversation, Miguel advises the pair that he is not interested in any further information about Mong; Rene states that the pair were merely trying to look out for him, and Tommy wishes Miguel “[p]eace.”

Miguel doubts the existence of a peaceful state, particularly when he relives “what happened” (31) every night when he tries to go to sleep.