Piecing Me Together: Chapter 12 Summary & Analysis

After school, Jade goes to Sam’s house for the first time. As soon as they get off the bus, Sam starts issuing warnings about her grandparents’ eccentricities, especially those of her grandmother, Mrs. Franklin, who has Alzheimer’s. Jade doesn’t ask why Sam lives with her grandparents and she’s happy to eat at Sam’s since she knows there won’t be much at home later. Sam leads Jade to a small house, opens the door, and then shouts that she’s home so they don’t scare Mrs. Franklin. Mrs. Franklin doesn’t look away from the TV, so the girls head into the kitchen. Mr. Franklin greets Jade, and when Jade shares that she lives in North Portland, Mrs. Franklin shouts that there are only “hillbillies, blacks, and Mexicans” live there and that it’s a good thing there are so many shootouts—they’ll all kill each other. Sam is enraged.

Mr. Franklin calms Sam down and he shares that he’s lived here for 40 years, and their neighbors have been here for 20. Mrs. Franklin shouts that the neighbors are black as Jade tries to imagine what it’s like to live somewhere that long. Mr. Franklin talks about all the changes in Northeast Portland and he says it’s part of life, but Jade knows people who had to move out of the area. They either couldn’t afford the taxes or didn’t own their homes, and according to Mom, people who don’t own have no power. Sam leads Jade to her bedroom. Jade is shocked that Sam has a bed, a futon, a TV, and her own bathroom. They start working through Jade’s Spanish vocabulary flashcards.

A bit later, Mr. Franklin knocks and he gives Sam the phone. It’s Sam’s mom. Jade tries to ignore Mr. Franklin as Sam talks briefly and then hands the phone back to Mr. Franklin. He frowns and tells Sam’s mom that Sam is a teenager and she doesn’t know how to show her emotions. Sam apologizes to Jade and assures Jade that there’s nothing else to say to her mom; her mom will call in a month for Sam’s birthday. Jade is shocked, but Sam says that her mom didn’t want to be a mom anymore and so she left Sam with her grandparents. Sam says it’s better here anyway. Instead of studying, the girls talk about their fathers and about how difficult it is to be at St. Francis.

Sam shares that her older brother seems happy for her that she’s attending St. Francis, but he’s also sad and jealous. Jade says she gets it—she sometimes feels bad about how many opportunities she now has and she feels like she can’t let her friends and neighbors down. Sam points out that it’s not fair for them to feel guilty for getting what they deserve, which shocks Jade. She’s never considered that she deserves good things, mostly because she knows lots of people who work hard and get nothing. Sam says it’s weird being stuck in the middle. She doesn’t talk to St. Francis kids about her life and she doesn’t talk to her friends about school. Jade suggests that now that they’re friends, it won’t be so bad.