Richard Alvarado

Chile Town Richard Alvarado

Zenon-his friends call him "Z"-is a fifteen-year-old youth with no particular goals in life except one: to meet Blanca. Blanca is a sixteen-year-old observant, energetic, and popular girl. They both ride the city bus each day. Z, always confident and mindful of others, is anything but that whenever he sees Blanca board the bus. Unbeknownst to them, Z and Blanca share friends who struggle with the hard challenges facing young Latinos in the inner city: poverty, drugs, gangs, and family issues.

Parrot, Pecas and Flea are wanna be gangbangers who find trouble in their home life that spills out in the streets. Chata and her sister Gata, share romance secrets that change their lives. And Chuy, who learns too late, that no one is safe from their fate.

Fortunately, they all find solace and support from Bus Driver Tom, who seems to enter their lives-at just the right time-when trouble arrives.