Patron Saints of Nothing

The following morning, the missing packet of letters causes Jay to recall what he remembers of Jun. He remembers his cousin’s precocious intelligence and surprising insights, and how Jun, in his letters, was surprisingly deep for a kid of 10 or 11. Jay reflects, “Jun asked me if I liked my family. He asked me what I found beautiful. He asked me if I believed what the Bible said and what priests said during Mass” (102). With the house to himself, Jay decides to sneak into his uncle’s office, certain that the housekeeper took the letters and gave them to Maning. At his uncle’s massive desk, however, Jay does not find any evidence of the letters. But in a drawer he finds a list of names, among them Jun’s. Because the notes are in Tagalog, Jay does not know what the list means. He takes a picture of the list with his phone. He is certain his uncle was involved in Jun’s death.

Later that morning, Maning dispatches Grace to show Jay Manila’s historical and cultural sites. With the family’s chauffeur driving the SUV, the two explore Manila’s bustling business district, with its finely manicured public gardens and tidy streets.