Monkey Beach

Lisa’s narrative returns to the present time. She is in the boat, sighting her way to Monkey Beach. She thinks about how in her childhood, girls were interested in Jimmy, but he was focused on swim practice. She drifts back into memories, recalling inviting Frank and his crew to her house for her birthday. Lisa’s mom is shocked that Frank is there, and that no girls come to the party. Frank gives Lisa a slingshot as a gift, and she is impressed.

Lisa’s family is financially precarious, and her mom starts doing hair for money. Lisa goes to Ma-ma-oo’s house, and they share a jar of crabapples called ci’xºa. Outside, Lisa hears strange sounds. She walks home, and a woman known as Screwy Ruby is out on the street. Some people say she is a witch, “a creature out of Grimm’s fairy tales” (188). Lisa tells Ruby about the little man, and Ruby says, “[y]ou’re a bad girl” (189). At home, Lisa adopts a kitten named Alexis, who has a habit of killing animals and bringing them to the family. One day he kills a sparrow, which concerns Jimmy because he cares for the crows.