Apart from sticker burrs and sand fleas, Cardell's life is mostly
wonderful. He knows he's loved through and through by his perfectly good
mama and his perfectly good daddy. They live in different parts of the
desert, but that's okay--Cardell is mostly used to it. Then Otis comes
calling, and Cardell feels a grrr form in his throat. Otis can't make
jalapeño flapjacks or play Zig-the-Zag anything like Cardell's daddy.
And so Cardell waits for Mama to say "Adiós, Otis." But what will
happen if she doesn't?