We Were Here

This photo portrays a lifeguard’s shed on a beach, such as the one in which Miguel and Rondell sleep as they continue their journey toward Mexico. 

Darkness falls as Rondell and Miguel resume their silent journey. They sleep under a graffitied lifeguard tower in Malibu. Both boys stare at the ocean; Miguel feels as emotionally lost as he would if he were lost at sea on a boat. Rondell pretends to read his Bible. Moved by the events of the day, Miguel is unable to comprehend the contents of The Catcher in the Rye.

Upon awakening, Miguel takes a minute to orient himself and recalls Mong’s tragic end while looking at the tooth necklace. Miguel realizes that he “wouldn’t go south today” (199). He and Rondell continue in silence as they watch a basketball game and view the weightlifters on the beach. Miguel admires the surfers and wishes that he could try surfing some day. He wonders if he might have done so already, had his father not been Mexican.

The boys come upon a large, diverse group of people playing bongos on the sand. A young woman gives the boys a bongo drum to use, and Miguel is moved by the group experience.