was doing the right thing. He was, after all, the eligibility worker, not the social worker. As they rounded the side of the building, they saw Simpática’s silhouette on the railing looking like a bird of prey, her eyes boring through them. Though she was never cheerful, today her face was drawn with dark circles under her eyes and her mouth hard set.
        “Hello,” he offered awkwardly as he and Maya climbed the stairs, but she turned and went back into the apartment. They followed her in and found her on the couch. Speaking in Spanish, he said, “Hello, Simpática. How are you?” but felt his voice wilt under her glare. “Maya tells me that you two are having an argument. I hope that we may sit down and discuss the disagreement. Maybe when we talk, we will all understand better.”
        When she said nothing, he was unsure how to proceed. He didn’t want to provoke her but wasn’t sure how to avoid doing exactly that.
        “Maya calls me because you and her have a dispute. She tells me you are very angry. She wishes that I help the two of you stop arguing.”
        “Shheees bad,” Simpática growled. “Very bad girl!”
        He listened.
        “She does not obey hore mother! She disobeys.”
        “No, I don’t,” Maya objected.
        “Maya, yes you do!” Simpática roared, then they both turned to Mike.
        “In what way does Maya misbehave?” he asked, still in Spanish.
        “She does not listen to hore mother. She disobeys me. She does not respect hore mother.”
        “Mom, I respect you,” Maya protested. “I do respect you.”
        “Maya!” Simpática shouted. “You don’ listen to your mother!”
        “But I do,” Maya whined. “I do listen to you, Mom. I do do what you tell me.”
        Mike raised his hands. “Un momento! Dejame hablar!” Let me speak.
        To his surprise, they both looked at him and waited.
        “What I wish to know is what it was that made you angry today, Simpática. Why are you and Maya having this dispute?”
        Simpática glared at her daughter. “We sell the powder and Maya runs away! With the boy! She runs and runs from her mother! I say, ‘Come back, Maya!,’ but she laughs and runs away! She is evil!”
        Mike turned to Maya for an