Marlowe Granados

People are very friendly in our neighbourhood. They’re always calling to us from their cars to say nice things. The neighbours have nicknamed Gala “Snowflake” because of her blond hair, and, depending on where they’re from, call me “Princesa,” or, if they’re younger boys, “Ma.” I like the latter because it denotes a family tie. I’m still waiting for an invitation to one of the cookouts.

My mother always told me that to be a girl one must be especially clever

gave her the best advice probably anyone’s ever given her: “Why don’t you just laugh it off, have a giggle?”