Citizen Illegal

The Mexicans party in the basement but God disapproves and threatens to throw them out of heaven if they don’t quit. After that, they are more discreet about what they do and God pretends to believe they have reformed.

Olivarez imagines a different story about the belt his dad used to punish him. He presents many different possibilities. His father does not use the belt; instead, the boy beats himself with it for his own good and then buries it. Then there is another scenario: The boy is waiting to be whipped and is already crying, but his dad just rubs the boy’s head instead.

Mom keeps texting him even though he is often unavailable. She is sitting on the couch, tired after her work, yet her presence glows with light.