Into the Beautiful North: Chapter 23 Summary & Analysis

Long ago, Chava was Irma's bowling guru. He also introduced her to the cinema. Though Irma never cared much for movies or music, she was jealous watching Chava take girls to the movies. He was extremely handsome, which he played up by buying nice clothing with his bowling winnings. Irma, on the other hand, felt fat and awkward. She sat in the back of the theater and watched Chava with his dates, knowing that he would kiss them after the movie.

Things came to a head at the state bowling finals. Chava lost early on to an upstart, so he sat and watched Irma bowl. Irma felt him staring at her backside, and the tension helped her throw strike after strike. Later, they had sex in Chava's car, which was Irma's first and only sexual experience. She didn't enjoy it much, but she never forgot how Chava blotted her thighs with a silk hankie, or how the moon looked hazy.

Chava was a fisherman by day and surprised all of Tres Camarones by going to Tijuana to fish in 1963—but unlike everyone else, he didn't come back. He wrote home saying that he was winning bowling tournaments in America, and finally, in 1965, Irma went to America to bowl with him. Though Irma expected a wedding, Chava only kissed her on the cheek when he put her on the plane home. Later, Irma learned that Chava was expecting a baby with an American woman. On that day, Irma became La Osa.

In the present, Matt drives Yolo, Nayeli, and Atómiko to the Hillcrest bowling alley. Nayeli takes Matt's arm as they walk in and ask for Chava. The man at the front desk calls to a man named Sal and asks if he knows anyone named Chávez. Sal has just finished cleaning a restroom, and he looks at Nayeli with a frozen smile. Sal is Chava.

Yolo and Matt bowl while Atómiko insults them, and Nayeli and Chava talk. He tells her how he betrayed Irma. Nayeli explains that Irma never married and is now mayor and asks what happened to his wife. Tears roll down Chava's cheeks as he admits that the woman ran off with a sailor before the baby was born. He admits that he was too ashamed to come home. Nayeli takes his hands and tells him her story.

Nayeli convinces Chava that Tres Camarones will be thrilled to have him back, and he agrees to join the girls on their mission. When Nayeli, Yolo, Atómiko, and Matt get back to the duplex, Vampi and Carla are grilling, and El Brujo is engaged in a game of Guitar Hero with the neighbor. Yolo tells Vampi they have one man, and Vampi smiles, looks towards El Brujo, and says they have two.