After school José pedaled his bike over to his uncle Freddie’s house. His uncle was sixteen, only three years older than José. It made José feel awkward when someone, usually a girl, asked, “Who’s that hunk?” and he would have to answer, “My uncle.”

“Freddie,” José yelled, skidding to a stop in the driveway.

Freddie was in the garage lifting weights. He was dressed in sweats and a Raiders sweatshirt. The hem of his T-shirt was sticking out in a fringe. He bench-pressed 180 pounds, then put the weights down and said, “Hey, dude.”

“Freddie, I need to borrow your racquetball racket,” José said.