The narrator begins this story by stating that the character Michael looks older than his 33 years. Michael works at a marijuana dispensary on Colfax Avenue, and is having an affair with Alicia, the protagonist of the story. Michael and Alicia used to date, but Alicia is currently married to Gary, a 54-year-old White man who is an auctioneer from Nebraska. Whenever Gary goes out of town for his annual auctioneers’ convention, Alicia spends the night with Michael. The story takes place on one of these nights.

Alicia gets into Michael’s teal Nova, which is pristine on the outside and very messy on the inside. When she spots some spray paint canisters in his backseat, she tells him that he should keep them in the trunk, because their friend Joaquin got charged with a felony for tagging last summer: “Only because that pendejo couldn’t outrun the bull. Besides, someone has to make these invasive yuppies uncomfortable. Weedy motherfuckers. Growing out of control,” Michael replies (180-181).

Alicia tells Michael that they need to go to the botanica on Lawrence Street. She tells them that she needs to get an herbal remedy for Gary’s dogs, Kane and Oscar, whom she says are suffering from fleas.