Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida Chapter 9 Summary

Dying of Love

  • Things are being shaken up in the Hernandez house, but this time it's for the better. Yay.
  • Dad gets a job working in the Awoni Building Company office, Nardo gets a job as a delivery guy for Giddens Pharmacy, and Manny gets to join in on all the fun by running in and out to deliver the meds while Nardo mans the car.
  • One day when Manny is heading out for work, things are looking pretty grand—Mom is singing and cleaning, Dad is singing in the shower, and everyone is happy as a clam.
  • When Manny gets to the pharmacy, though, he doesn't want to go inside, because the boss (Mr. Giddens) doesn't know he's been helping his big brother out. But when it's so cold that Manny can't stand it, he goes inside where Mr. G lets him know that he knows Manny's been helping Nardo all along. Luckily, though, he doesn't seem that upset about it.
  • Behind the pharmacy, Manny tells Nardo that their secret is out. Nardo is kind of annoyed, but figures they won't get fired; then, to keep up appearances, Manny goes back through the store to meet his brother in the alley.
  • Once he's in the pharmacy again, Mr. Giddens decides it's time to introduce our main man to his daughter, Dorothy. She's more interested in picking out cards than in meeting Manny, but Mr. G says nice things about him, like how he's a hard worker and will have a job at the pharmacy one day.
  • Apparently, Dorothy is having a party and Mr. G wants her to invite Manny. Let's just say she's not too keen on the idea, though, and poor Manny is standing right there the whole time. So awkward.
  • Eventually Dorothy gives in and invites Manny. Now the poor guy has to deal with Nardo's teasing on top of everything, and the teasing only gets worse when they get home, especially when Nardo tells Manny his theory: Mr. and Mrs. G are going to be away during their daughter's party, so Nardo figures that they want Manny there as a spy.
  • Obviously Manny is pretty offended by this idea, but once Magda gets in on the teasing, she and Nardo can't stop.
  • When the day of the party arrives, Manny is a total mess. He can't stop thinking about how cute Dorothy is, and also how anxious he is for the shindig. His nerves don't stop him from showing up at Dorothy's house and trying to join in the fun, though. Yeah, he feels a bit like an outsider, but at least a girl named Gloria wants to dance with him.
  • Things go downhill when he accidentally gets a little too touchy-feely with Gloria and a bunch of guys, including a red-haired dude who was dancing with Dorothy, get super defensive really fast. So Manny slips outside to figure out a plan. The red-haired guy comes outside (whom Manny has nicknamed Red-Hair—super creative, we know) and proceeds to pretty much tell Manny that he doesn't belong there while everyone watches.