Corregidora

Leaving her mom’s house, Ursa has several flashbacks from her childhood. She reminisces about the way her family tried to hide a townswoman’s suicide from her, and about a childhood friend, May Alice, who talked to her about the mechanics of menstruation and sex. She recounts how despite Ursa’s forewarnings, May Alice got pregnant having sex with Harold, a classmate who previously had threatened to rape Ursa. Ursa had no contact with May Alice for most of the pregnancy but visited her in the hospital after the baby was born. May Alice appeared appreciative at first but then insulted Ursa, calling her a “baby,” which led to the downfall of their already tenuous relationship (144). Ursa can’t articulate why, but she sees a connection between May Alice and the townswoman who killed herself. 

Ursa then recalls how her first foray into singing was quashed by her mother, who didn’t want Ursa singing “devil music” (146). The dispute over music is ultimately what led Ursa to leave home for the city, and for Happy’s, where she eventually met Mutt. He had come in several nights just to watch her before he invited her to drink with him.