Burro Genius

Content Warning: This section discusses racism and abuse. 

Villaseñor’s narration shifts back to 1945 when he was five years old, on the day before starting school. He recalls how his father told him to remember his Mexican identity, emphasizing that Mexicans are good and strong people. He advised him to be responsible for himself, to be brave but kind, and to learn about women so that, in the future, he would choose the right one as a wife. Villaseñor notes that men should be proud to be close to women, stressing that women are “the foundation of any home or tribe or nation” (58). Villaseñor felt nervous about being away from his “familia” for the first time. He did not speak English and was reluctant to go to school, as he enjoyed staying home on the ranch.

Villaseñor prayed to God and his mother encouraged him, saying he would make new friends. When he was reluctant to let go of his mother’s hand upon arriving at the school, the other students teased him by calling him “sissy.” In the classroom, Villaseñor sat with other Spanish-speaking Mexican kids. The Mexican American students tried to encourage each other, but the teacher ordered them to only speak English.