TRASH CHAPTER SUMMARY

Chapter

Page No.

Plot outline

Part 1
Chapter 1:
My name is
Raphael

Raphael and Gardo work on the dumpsite, Behala. Raphael describes their difficult lives: how they sort through
other peoples filthy rubbish to find things to sell for a pittance. He explains how hes been working in this way for
11 years, since he was three. The friendship between the two boys is established with Gardo acting as the elder
and who keeps an eye on Raphael.

Chapter 2:
My unlucky-lucky
day

Raphael describes the dangers of working on the dumpsite. He finds a bag in the trash which contains personal
items belonging to a man called Jos Angelico plus 1,100 pesos. The boys split the money and keep their find a
secret for fear it would be taken from them.

Chapter 3:
The police arrived
and asked for it
back

The police arrive looking for the missing bag and offer a reward of 10,000 pesos for its return. Orphan Raphaels
auntie (who he calls Ma) tells the police that he has found something but he lies to put them off the scent. The
boys manage to convince the police they know nothing and, after the police leave, the boys decide to move the
hidden bag to a safer place with another dumpsite boy called Rat.

Chapter 4:
I want to tell about
Rat

The boys climb into where Rat lives in the smelliest, rat-infested part of the dump. They tell Rat about the police
and the bag. They show him the contents of the bag and he agrees to hide it for them. Rat says he knows that
the key comes from a luggage locker at Central Station and asks if they want him to take them there.

Chapter 5:
Gardo here

The boys delay their trip to the station so as not to arouse suspicion during the big dump search for the bag. The
police arrive again with lots of refuse trucks; the bag isnt found but the dumpsite workers get paid for their
efforts. Auntie questions the boys again about their find. The police had been asking her why shed commented
that theyd found something. The boys now feel unsafe but continue to lie about the whereabouts of the bag.

Chapter 6:
Gardo let us go to
the station

Gardo, Raphael and Rat board a train to the station. They have to pay off a gang for being on their patch. Rat
finds the locker and removes a package. Inside is a coded letter addressed to Gabriel Olondriz an inmate at
Colva Prison.

Part 2
Chapter 1:
My name is Father
Juilliard

This chapter is narrated by Father Juilliard who runs the Mission School at the dumpsite. He describes Pascal
Aguila, a freedom fighter who died as he was prepared to testify against some corrupt politicians and whose
family regularly donate to the Mission School. Father tells of the last time he saw Rat or Jun as Father uses his
proper name. Rat uses the computer to carry out some secret research on Jos Angelico and Gabriel Olondriz as
the boys wait outside. Sister Olivia is introduced and her hopeless desire to adopt Rat.

Chapter 2:
Now it gets serious

Raphael is arrested and taken to the police station. He is questioned relentlessly about the missing bag and
viciously beaten in an attempt to force a confession. Raphael stays strong, is released by the police and runs
away.

Chapter 3:
I just kept running
steadily

Raphael begins his walk back to Behala. He reflects on their research on Jos Angelico how he had died in a
police station under arrest for stealing six million dollars from a government official. Jos had been adopted by
Gabriel Olondrizs son, Dante.

Chapter 4:
My name is Grace

Grace a former employee of Senator Zapanta who was robbed by the houseboy, Jos provides more details
about the dead man. Jos was a widower and has a little girl, Pia Dante, who he put through school although it
meant he saw her only once a week. Grace describes Jos as a good and trustworthy man nobody knows
the whereabouts of his daughter, Pia.

Part 3
Chapter 1:
Im Olivia Weston

Olivia explains her role as a house-mother at the Mission School: teaching reading and writing; administering
first aid. Gardo lies to Olivia, asking her to help them by visiting his grandfather in prison. The boys know they
wont be allowed to see Gabriel Olondriz and see Olivia as their only hope. Olivia reluctantly agrees and, with
Gardo, departs for Colva Prison.

Chapter 2:
Father Juilliard

Father Juilliard warns that many of the children in Behala lie and that Rat is about to trick him.

Chapter 3:
It was stupid

Olivia describes the horror of the Behala rubbish dump. Gardo and Olivia arrive at Colva Prison. After paying
10,000 pesos to fast-track their application, the couple are led towards the prison cells.

Chapter 4:
all I saw was cages

Gardo and Olivia pass the prison cages with inmates who were so well mannered even in despair. Olivia is
overcome with the stench, heat and appalling conditions in which the prisoners are kept. The visitors are taken
into a hospital room and finally a sick, old man is brought in to see them.

Chapter 5:
Senator Zapanta
stole it

Gabriel Olondriz is dying and makes it clear to Grace that Gardo has tricked her into taking him to the prison.
Gabriel explains how he came to be incarcerated for bringing corruption charges against a high profile politician,
Senator Zapanta, thirty-five years ago. The Senator had taken money from international aid funds which were to
help hospitals and schools in the city. Zapanta was much more powerful than Gabriel and ensured the old man
was prosecuted himself and sent to jail.

Chapter 6:
I am so sorry

Gardo apologizes in a form of open letter to Olivia. He explains that the boys had no choice but to deceive her
and that they would soon have to leave Behala.

Chapter 7:
I will tell you a little
more

Gabriel Olondriz gives Olivia and Gardo more details about how he was framed by Zapanta and his followers
when he discovered the corruption. His evidence was stolen and his house burned down. Gardo asks the old
man about Dante Jerome and the meaning of It is accomplished . Gardo tells him about the letter from Jos
Angelico and has to explain to Gabriel how Jos was killed in police custody. Gabriel is very shaken by the news.

Chapter 8:
Sister Olivia was a
good friend

Raphael apologizes to Olivia and explains what he and Rat did while Gardo was visiting the prison. They re-read
newspaper cuttings and the letter and decide they should visit Senator Zapantas house so they can understand
why it would make your soul sing. Rat shows a surprised Gardo his secret stash of money and reveals his
dream of going back to the island of Sampalo, buying a boat and making a living from fishing. Raphael knows
that he cannot stay much longer in Behala as the other residents, including his own auntie, felt he had brought
them bad luck.

Chapter 9:
its a castle

Rat (Jun-Jun) and Raphael use some of Rats cash to travel to the Senators house. They find a way into the
grounds of Zapantas palatial home and are stopped by a friendly groundsman. He informs the boys of the news
that Zapanta is in trouble and how the houseboy managed to steal six million dollars and take it away in a
disused fridge. The houseboy was later killed. The boys confirm the identity of the houseboy: Jos Angelico.

Chapter

Page No.

Plot outline

Chapter 10:
Jos Angelico was
my grandson

Back at the prison, Gardo recites the contents of the letter to the old man. Gabriel enquires about the nonsense
of numbers and slashes at the foot of the letter. He explains that its a book-code used by him, his friends and
family. He asks for his Bible but it is refused as the visit has ended. A guard, Marco, says he will deliver it to
Gardo at Behala. The next morning, Gabriel dies and the Bible is never seen again. Their visit raises suspicions
and Olivia is arrested. No charges are brought and, with the help of the British Embassy and her fathers
interventions, she is flown out of the country immediately. She reflects metaphorically that the absence of money
is drought in which nothing can grow.

Part 4
Chapter 1:
It gets bad, bloody
and oh so
dangerous!

The boys hear the police sirens arriving at Behala and have no choice but to go on the run. They hide among the
street beggars and find a small room to sleep in. They know theyll never see their family and friends again.
Gardo bravely meets with Marco, the prison guard, in an attempt to get Gabriel Olondrizs Bible. Marco says hell
hand it over for 20,000 pesos. Rat insists on returning alone to Behala and steals 23,000 pesos from the Mission
School safe. He feels like an ungrateful thief and leaves a note for Father Juilliard to show him who has taken
the money, hoping hell understand that Rat had no choice, before returning to the boys.

Chapter 2:
we fixed up for the
handover

Gardo arranges to meet Marco in a tea-house to exchange the money for the Bible. When the swap happens,
Gardo tries to leave quickly but Marco grabs him and its clear that Marco plans to hand Gardo over to the
authorities. Gardo wriggles away from his captor, slashing at him with his dumpsite hook and finally breaks free.
In the ensuing chase, Gardo passes the Bible to Rat and they run away in different directions.

Chapter 3:
we came within an
ace of being caught

The police track the boys down to their little room and knock at the door.

Chapter 4:
the Bible and the
paper

Raphael explains how the boys finally worked out the book-code, turning pages and line references into decoding
a message from Jos Angelico. Now they were sure the money was somewhere in a graveyard Where we lay.

Chapter 5:
this time they came
quietly

The police arrive just as the boys finish their decoding. Rat hears them and quietly leads the frightened boys out
of the room and into the noise and darkness of the city.

Chapter 6:
running for your
life

Raphael explains their escape: how they joined in with a large street gang so they could remain anonymous and
no police would be able to identify them in such a crowd. The boys split from the gang and Gardo flags down a
cab to take them to Naravo Cemetery the spot they had identified on the map. It is the Day of the Dead so the
cemetery will be full of visitors.

Chapter 7:
I make grave
memorials

Frederico Gonz has engraved a memorial stone on the instructions of Jos Angelico. He said it was for his
daughter, Pia Dante. Frederico explains how many graves are piled up high and not buried in the ground, due to
the expense and lack of space. He watches a coffin being put into the grave Jos has arranged.

Star Extra:
Police Closing in

The report states that leads towards the stolen moneys whereabouts are being followed up relentlessly. It
reiterates the controversy that has followed Vice-President Zapanta. On the face of it, it is sympathetic towards
him, with quotations from a spokesman about his distress and the President who talks about him being
violated.

Inquirer:
Zapanta mourns his
loss!

This article notes the despair of a much-loved vice-president. It refers to some of his schemes such as clearing
squatter camps to make way for a shopping complex and using illiterate children in a self-promoting campaign. It
highlights him as a campaigner for wider education.

Daily Star:
Mohuns diary

Writer Mohun proposes that having ten million dollars in your house indicates it is either stolen money or funds
that could be avoiding the taxman. He reveals Zapantas callous nature and powerful position when Mohun
jokingly begs Zapanta not to kill his family or close his newspaper for speaking out.

University Voice:
Enough is enough,
say students

The president of the Students Union declares Zapanta to be a corrupt, greedy man who has watched the poor
get poorer whilst lining his own pockets. She calls for a new, younger leader and a revolution.

Part 5
Chapter 1:
The Day of the
Dead

The boys arrive at the cemetery and take in the scene: hundreds of families partying, having picnics, lighting
candles, children playing all waiting for their dead loved ones to return on this special night. The boys look for
the Angelico family grave and, after much fruitless searching, see the brightest light .

Chapter 2:
Wed been looking
in the wrong place

They realize theyve been looking in the rich graveyard where bodies are buried in the ground. They climb the
wall that divides rich from poor and finally find the Angelico family grave where Joss wife and son are buried.
They see a tomb marked with the name of Joss daughter, Pia Dante. As the boys argue about where/if the
money might be hidden in a tomb, they hear the voice of a small girl.

Chapter 3:
Ive been waiting

The girl is Pia Dante, who is waiting for her father and has been there for a week.

Chapter 4:
What does six
million dollars look
like?

The boys take the starving Pia for food and find her shelter for the night. They make a plan to break into the false
tomb and take the money although they dont intend to take more than a little for themselves. The boys find
some basic tools and crack open the tomb and find the money inside the wooden coffin.

Chapter 5:
the last part was my
idea

Gardo, Raphael and Jun (no longer Rat) put the money in a sack and sheet, collect Pia, buy a cart from some
trash boys and pedal back to Behala in the night. Juns first job is to give money back to the Mission School. The
boys then climb a mountain of trash and release the money into the air, scattering it across the dumpsite. They
leave together to catch a train.

Chapter 6:
We will fish forever
and live happy lives

Pia and the boys travel to Sampalo, buy boats, learn to fish and live happily in a place more beautiful than
creation.

Appendix:
A letter from Jos
Angelico

The final word is given to Jos Angelico. His letter, left in the coffin, explains how he worked for Zapanta, gained
his trust and found a way of taking back the money that Zapanta had stolen. He intended it to be returned to the
poor. His final words: It is accomplished.