ATDTDA (14): But they're gone now, 385-391

[Paul Nightingale]

Frank the wanderer ("Ridin with anarchists now, got-damn never thought I'd
be doin this .") is the star player (a ringer of sorts?), ensuring "respect"
for El Nato's men. Nonetheless he is still resisting the role, and jokes
about swapping places with Ewball, who by way of contrast has embraced his
destiny: ". you can be the Kid, and I'll be the sidekick" (386).

As a rich boy Ewball recalls Colfax, another who befriended a Traverse (and
complained that Kit didn't play the student game, 318-319; cf. Frank's
inability here to adopt the role expected of him). Ewball appears to 'go
native' ("say, you look different somehow ." etc, 386), which might also
recall Wren's willingness to give herself over to her surroundings (eg,
275ff): in each case, then, Frank's companion is one less resistant to
change.

Frank's "first commission" (387) will be a signature event, or is intended
as such, "that special El Chavalito punch". Hence, any transformation that
will take place will involve the guerrilla band. However, not surprisingly
in a passage that opens with Joaquin's speech on doubling, Frank will only
provide a distraction from El Nato's main objective; and the narrative
descends into comic ineptitude. And so, whatever the band has achieved prior
to Frank's arrival, any signature he does provide is the inconsequential
action that ensues: no Mint robbery, no explosion, no theft even of
dynamite, clashes with some kind of (non-specified) opposition.

The latter part of the section deals with Frank's departure from El Nato's
band: signalled by the arrival of the three Tarahumares (bottom of 388) this
separation takes place without a word from El Nato himself (although Joaquin
calls Frank a "[c]razy gringo motherfucker", 389). So again an unexpected
narrative shift sees Frank going off in another direction. It seems the more
he is forced (reluctantly) to adopt the role of purposeful narrative agent,
the less able he is to do so. El Espinero suggests they travel together,
tempting Frank with the possibility that he will "find something you have
been looking for" (390). Again he is forced to play the part of whoever
saved the Tarahumares; and El Espinero suggests he has a responsibility for
the second Estrella, which immediately takes Frank "back the Other Side"
(389) as he is reminded of Stray. Given that the Tarahumares are threatened
(= ethnic cleansing), it is interesting that El Espinero immediately
emphasises the act of translation, naming as a form of control/erasure; and
then the section ends with the Tarahumares speaking in their own language.
Frank is positioned here as an outsider, his status as hero somewhat
ambiguous.