90 Miles to Havana

Caballo takes the boys to a storeroom to retrieve rolled-up mattresses and pillows at them. Next, he takes them to the dormitory. Julian notices it “looks and smells like the hospital” where he had his tonsils taken out, and he begins to feel scared because it does not look like his mother promised. He remembers a trick Bebo taught him for when he feels scared: “if you concentrate real hard on what’s going on outside of you—where you are—you won’t think about the scared feelings inside” (67). He counts the bunk beds and deduces that 120 kids sleep in that same room.

Caballo takes them through the room to another door and announces that this is where Julian, Gordo, and Alquilino will sleep; it is a bathroom, which he calls a “private suite.” Gordo confronts Caballo and asks why he is being so cruel. Caballo responds, “Because, Gordo, there’s nobody here to stop me from being the big shot, and you better remember that” (68). Alquilino is practical about how they will settle in the bathroom, while Gordo swears revenge on Caballo. Alquilino warns him to try to make peace.

The next morning, they go outside and see someone digging a hole in the red dirt of the yard. When they investigate, they realize Pepe and Angelita are in the hole. They are planning to pick tomatoes on the other side of the fence. They all climb onto the roof of a shed to catch up and talk.

The boys are shocked to see them. Angelita explains that they did intend to leave Havana with their parents, but their parents’ airplane seats were switched at the last minute; Angelita suspects the little woman is responsible. Left with no other choice, their mother contacted someone about the Pedro Pan Operation, and Angelita and Pepe went to Camp Kendal.

Angelita also reveals that the camp is not as their parents led them to believe. As she points to the children playing in the yard, she claims “the big eat the small.” Julian notes that “everybody seems to be concentrating and playing so hard that they’re not having fun,” and Angelita explains that this is because it distracts them from thinking about “how much they miss their parents, where they are, or where they might end up” (74-75). This is when Julian learns that the camp is not a place to wait for parents but instead to wait until they find placement in foster care or in an orphanage. Angelita also explains that Caballo is the boss and plans to get revenge on Gordo for humiliating him in front of the others. Gordo claims he is not afraid.

The boys are adjusting to their sleeping arrangements in the bathroom. The next day, Caballo informs them that a woman named Dolores is waiting for them in the kitchen. Dolores is a large American woman who cooks for the camp, and she puts the boys to work preparing breakfast. They have trouble understanding her because her English is southern and broken. She believes the boys were “highborn” back in Cuba, and she tells them that in America, they will have to work because everyone is equal (80). She makes them work through breakfast to right before lunch before letting them have a sandwich.

An hour before lights out, all the children must either write home or read. Julian is conflicted because he does not know what to tell his parents. His brothers have instructed him not to tell the truth because if his parents knew how bad the conditions are at the camp, they would risk their lives to come for them. In the end, he tells them about finding Pepe and Angelita and cooking with Dolores.

One day, the boys speak with the director. He tells them that he has found homes for them. Gordo and Alquilino will go to an orphanage in Denver, and Julian will go to one in Chicago. They refuse to split up, so the director tells them they can stay together if they get someone to sponsor them. Alquilino tells him their uncle is coming from Cuba and can be responsible for them. The director says he needs letter from his uncle to confirm.

Later, Alquilino reveals to Angelita and the boys that he lied about their uncle coming to Miami. They decide to forge a letter to the director to buy them more time. They plan to bribe Paco, the boy who works in the office, to type the letter for them and then mail it to the director on a weekend trip to Miami. The boy loves Rice Krispies cereal, so they must steal boxes of it from the kitchen. Pepe and Julian chat with Dolores, and while she tells them the story of how John F. Kennedy loved her meat loaf, Julian slips 12 boxes of cereal in his shirt. He slips the boxes to Gordo, who approaches Paco to persuade him to take the bribe. Paco accepts.

They still have to figure out how to get a weekend pass to Miami to mail the letter. Angelita says Caballo is the one who chooses who goes and posts the names on Fridays, and he never chooses anyone who disobeys him. A girl named Marta accuses the other children of being “sheep” for going along with this power structure (95).

Julian attends the English class the camp provides with a young teacher who plays the guitar and sings songs with them. As she sings one song, the children start singing another and blending both together. They sing loudly and freely, and Julian notes that Caballo seems angry and afraid that he cannot control them.

Later, the camp kids are playing baseball. Pepe is up to bat, and a boy they call El Fideo, or “the noodle,” is pitching. Suddenly, Caballo forcefully takes Pepe’s place at bat. Fideo gives up his pitching position, and Gordo volunteers to take his place. Angelita warns Gordo that he should let Caballo win because if he does not, Caballo will get more angry and vengeful. After striking him out twice, Gordo prepares for a third. Julian and Angelita plead with Gordo, and Julian reminds Gordo that it was the almond-throwing incident back in Cuba that forced them to flee. To everyone’s surprise, Gordo lets Caballo hit a home run and walks away.

To make Gordo feel better, Julian tells him that everyone knows Gordo could have struck Caballo out but chose not to. He does not expect Caballo to hear this, but he does, and he grabs Julian violently. When Julian’s drawing book falls out, Caballo takes it and declares it his winning trophy. Angelita tries to snatch it, and when Caballo pulls it back, she falls. He apologizes, but the whole camp calls Caballo a bully for hurting her. Alquilino then charges at Caballo, followed by Gordo, and soon all the kids join in, creating a massive pileup. Dolores runs out to break it up. Caballo once again threatens the boys as he retreats to the director’s office. The boys and Angelita head there as well, and Julian laments the loss of his drawing book.

In the director’s office, the boys try to explain what happened, but the director sides with Caballo and reminds them that they will be sent away soon. They leave, but as Angelita walks out, Caballo whispers to her that he may be able to help. She is incredulous but decides to take him up on his offer. At dinner, she strikes a deal with him. Pepe has retrieved Julian’s drawing book during the pileup. Angelita explains that Caballo will convince the director not to send the boys away if Julian publicly gives Caballo the drawing book. Caballo wants to show the camp that he always wins.

Julian is conflicted about what to do. If he gives Caballo the book, his brothers and he will remain together at the camp, but Caballo will remain in power. If Julian does not, Caballo loses, but they will surely be separated. Julian is conflicted, but Alquilino reassures him that they will all support his decision.

Julian cannot sleep trying to decide what to do. He eventually decides to give up his book, and the next morning, he approaches Caballo in the dining hall. Caballo makes a big show of accepting the book. He grabs Julian by the neck and gives him a “creepy feeling” (113). Caballo calms down in his bullying after this, and the rest of the camp discusses whether Julian did the right thing. On Friday, Caballo posts the list of kids allowed to go into the city; Alquilino and Gordo are on it. Julian gets a feeling that something is wrong because they are not all on the list, but Angelita reassures him that maybe Caballo is not so bad after all. Alquilino and Gordo look forward to freedom for a day.

On Saturday morning, Julian is nervous about his brothers leaving. They assure him everything will be fine, and they will be back later that night, but Julian sees Caballo’s “strange smile” and is worried (117). Caballo tells them to be sure they have breakfast before they pile into the station wagon that will be taking them. Gordo teases Julian for being “afraid to be without his big brothers” (117). As they drive away, Julian notices something blue, the same blue as their suitcases, in the back of the car. He dejectedly walks back inside the camp, and Pepe tells him he is not alone.