Study Questions
1. Why did Marguerite leave San Francisco?

2. Where did she go?

3. Why did Marguerite not find Dolores at first?

4. Why did Dolores not recognize Marguerite at first?

5. What did Bailey give as an excuse for going to Mexico?

6. Why was Marguerite’s father such a good cook?

7. Why did Dolores not speak Spanish, according to Marguerite?

8.What was Marguerite’s daddy’s specialty?

9. What did the border guard on the way into Mexico say he would do with Marguerite?

10. Why was Marguerite’s father impressive to the Mexican peasants in the cantina?

Answers
1. Marguerite left San Francisco to visit with her father.

2. Bailey, Sr., lived in Southern California.

3. At first Marguerite did not find Dolores because Dolores was in her early 20s and much younger than Marguerite expected.

4. Dolores did not find Marguerite at first because Marguerite was older than Dolores had expected; Bailey, Sr., had told Dolores that his children were eight and nine. Marguerite also believed that she was uglier than Dolores had expected.

5. Bailey said that they were going to Mexico to buy food for the weekend.

6. He was such a good cook because he worked in the kitchen of a naval hospital, had been in France during World War I, and had worked as a doorman at the exclusive Breakers Hotel.

7. Dolores did not speak Spanish because “her mouth was too taut and her tongue was too still to attempt the strange sounds,” according to Marguerite.

8. Marguerite’s father’s specialty was Mexican food.

9. The border guard they met on their way into Mexico said he would marry Marguerite and have many children.

10. Marguerite’s father impressed the Mexicans in the cantina because he was American, was Black, spoke Spanish fluently, had money, could drink tequila with the best of them, was liked by the women, and was tall and handsome and generous.