Free Lunch

In an effort to help his mother and repair their relationship, Rex apologizes to Luciana for being difficult; he wants to blame her, but refrains from doing so. Luciana is suspicious, but when she realizes Rex is sincere, she apologizes for their difficult life. She compares living in America as a poor person to “starving at an all-you-can-eat buffet” (168). She feels hopeless about the future, and Rex assures her that someone will give her a job. They hug, and Rex feels like it’s the beginning of something better.

Liam surprises Rex when he calls and invites him over to ride bikes. Rex makes the one-hour walk to Liam’s house and is amazed by the size of it. Liam’s mother greets Rex warmly and serves him two plates of breakfast. When Rex and Liam bike to the corner store, Liam buys half of his items and steals the other half, encouraging Rex to do the same. Rex declines, knowing he’s old enough to get in trouble for stealing. Liam pays for half his items, the rest in his pockets, and the cashier ironically asks Rex if he stole anything, demanding to see his pockets. Liam laughs, and Rex realizes that Ethan is a better friend than Liam.

Rex’s mother rushes up to him and he thinks she’s about to hurt him, but instead she hugs him and announces that she got a job at a new Chinese restaurant in town. Rex is uncertain how to react. Luciana gushes about how much money she’s going to make, and Rex realizes he hasn’t seen her this happy in years. Luciana invites the family to the grand opening of the restaurant, and even serves their meals. Rex is amazed at his mother’s happiness and the delicious food. When it’s time to eat fortune cookies, Ford opens one that tells him that he’ll be getting married soon, and Rex’s tells him that wealth is in his future. At the end of dinner, Luciana suggests that Rex bring some leftovers to school tomorrow, and Rex loves the idea, calling it “a free lunch without the part where I have to say it out loud” (177).

On the last day before Christmas break, Ethan gives Rex a box filled with comics and tells him that he’s his best friend. Rex feels grateful for Ethan. He didn’t get Ethan a gift, but decides to make a comic about him over break. When Rex returns home, the television is back from the pawn shop, but Luciana informs him that his stereo was sold by mistake. As the stereo was one of the only things that his biological father bought him, Rex is distraught, but lets it go. Over break, Rex watches Christmas movies with the family, and they pick out a real tree for the first time; Sam is German and insists on experiencing this part of his heritage despite Luciana’s protests. Observing all the families at the tree lot, Rex finally feels like everyone else. While looking at trees, Sam asks Rex to pull his finger, and Rex reluctantly does so. After Sam passes gas as a joke, he accidentally defecates, and embarrassedly walks to a washroom. Rex, Ford, and Luciana share a laugh together, and on the way home, Sam laughs about the incident too.

On Christmas morning, there is only one present for Rex and eight for Ford, and Rex feels upset. Then, he thinks about Abuela’s childhood, and how much worse things could be. He thinks about how his mother and Sam do their best, and how his mother’s decision to sign him up for free lunch was not a punishment, but something done of necessity. Rex realizes that “some things are gray” (186) and that while many of his mother’s actions were wrong, he made (relatively minor) mistakes as well. When he opens his gift, he finds a check from his father, and then Luciana hands him another, complimenting Rex’s maturity and understanding while money is tight. Sam surprises Rex with another gift—a new Nintendo console. Rex screams with joy and hugs Sam, and while Luciana seems irritated at being shown up, she lets it go and lets her sons enjoy their holiday.

Sam drives Rex to Ethan’s house for New Year’s Eve. When they arrive, Sam gets out of the car to talk to Ethan’s father, and Rex feels embarrassed. Ethan takes Rex inside and shows him his house, which is full of wonderful things. Rex comments on how perfect Ethan’s life must be, and Ethan says “there’s no such thing as perfect” (193). He admits he has his own problems, and that life isn’t perfect just because his family has money. Rex reconsiders his worldview. He then gifts Ethan a story about himself as a superhero, and Ethan calls it the best gift ever.

Rex goes back to school grateful for having a fun holiday with his family and best friend. During lunch, he announces his enrollment in the Free Lunch Program without faltering. Suddenly, it occurs to him that he never asked for the lunch lady’s name, despite always being irritated that she couldn’t remember his. Rex does so this time and asks about her break. He looks to the new year with optimism and the idea of a fresh start in mind.