Some ofthe early stories in this collection were written while I was living in the guest bedroom of my brother and hermana-in-law's house，AlfredCisneros，Jr.，andJulie Parrales-Cisneros.For the open-door policy，forthe luxury ofthatroom whenIneededtobe writer，thank you.
Gracias to my mother，la smart cookie，my S&L financial bailout more times than I'dlike to admit.
To the National Endowment for theArts for twice saving me in one lifetime.Thankyou.Always，thank you.Mylife，my writing，have never beenthe same since.
Rubén，late or early，una vez o siempre—gracias.
La casita on West Eleventh Street.A borrowed blessing！ Thank you，Sara Stevenson and Richard Queen，for your generosity.
Las readersde conciencia—Helena Viramontes，Liliana Valenzuela，Sonia Saldív ar-Hull，Norma Alarcón.Song researchers—Laura PérezyMarí aHerrera-Sobek.A todas，gracias.
Las San Antonio girlfriends—Catherine Burst，Alba DeLeon，Sophia Healy，Joan Frederick Denton，y la Terry "Mujer de Fuerza" Ybañez.Tex-Mex text inspectedby Juanita "La Tejanita" Luna-Lawhn.A-gradec-imientos.Un besoy apretónpara cada una.
La Yugo sister—Jasna "Caramba" Karaula.Sister，hvala.
Los San Antoniovatos—Ito Romo，Danny Lozano，Craig Pennel，César "Ponqui" Martínez—gracias，muchachos.
My thanks tolos mero meros—ElErroll McDonaldy la Joni Evansde RandomHouse.Forfierce support andfierce faith.
Praise tola bien bien linda Julie Grau，my editor.Ay，Julie，believe me，I am eternally gratefulfor your unflagging cariño，patience，and sensitivity through the labor and delivery of this book.
Gracias a la Divina Providencia que me mandó la muy powerfuly miraculous literary protectora，Susan Bergholzla brava.Hay que hechar gritos，prender velitas，hacer backflips.Te abrazo con mi corazón，Susan.Por todo.
Damas y caballeros，un fuerte fuerte aplauso for my most special reader，the most special friend.ElDennis Mathis.Mi Ojitos.
Virgen de Guadalupe Tonantzín，infinitas gracias.Estos cuentitos te los ofrezco a tí，a nuestra gente.A toditos.Mil gracias.A thousand thanks from el corazón.
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