Promise Boys

Rachel is adamant that she has seen Ramón hanging around with a local, dangerous gang called the Dioses del Humo. Ramón’s older cousin César is one of the gang leaders. She told Moore about her concerns and then saw Ramón’s cousin getting arrested in front of Promise the day before Moore was killed. She is convinced that Ramón killed Moore in retaliation.

Tony thinks that his sister does not really understand Ramón. Ramón has a passion for cooking and has greatly improved Promise’s short-staffed cafeteria. His initiative to let students cook has made a big difference.

Ramón also used to sell his abuela’s (grandmother’s) pupusas (a type of Salvadoran flatbread) at the school. He told Tony that the money went to his abuela’s store and to his “stash.” However, Moore recently shut the business down. Tony now wonders what Ramón meant by “stash” and if it has anything to do with drugs.

César is not afraid to hide who he is. His tattoos let people know. He is adamant that the only difference between him and the students at Promise is the clothes they wear. For all of them, they “need money [and] when you need money, violence follows” (113).