The Bean Trees
- Book title in a chapter title! Trippin' out!
- So. Mattie called early the next morning, "to say that Esperanza was going to be all right" (10.1).
- After eating a big breakfast that Taylor makes for him, Estevan heads home. Soon, Turtle wakes up, Lou Ann returns from having been away at a Ruiz family reunion, and life goes on.
- Taylor and Lou Ann take Turtle and Dwayne Ray to Roosevelt Park, and sit in their favourite spot underneath the wisteria vines. Ah, the good old wisteria vines.
- Turtle declares that the vines are bean trees, because the flower's seedpods look just like beans.
- And there we have the title. And Turtle talking. Looks like she's doing better and better.
- On the way home, the women and children split up, and Taylor and Turtle stop in at Lee Sing Market for groceries. Probably beans.
- While there, Taylor runs into Edna Poppy. Taylor has never seen Edna Poppy out on her own—that is, without Virgie Mae—and she is shocked to see that Edna is using a white cane.
- It has never occurred to Taylor before this very minute that Edna Poppy is blind. There have been signs, but she never put the pieces together. Which makes Taylor seem sort of blind, too?
- When she gets home, Taylor asks Lou Ann if she knew. Lou Ann hadn't realized either. Guess that means hiding it is a thing, not just that Taylor's all unobservant.
- On Monday, Taylor goes to visit Esperanza.
- She tells Esperanza that Estevan has told her about Ismene. She also tells her that she hopes Esperanza won't give up on life, and on hope. Which is a cool play on words, because don't forget hope is esperanza in Spanish. That's right, her name.
- On Wednesday, Taylor meets Lou Ann getting off a bus. Lou Ann has just been to a job interview where the prospective employer harassed her. Don't these ladies have enough on their plates?
- Taylor gives Lou Ann a pep talk, and tells her not to let anyone or anything give her any guff. You tell 'em, Tay Tay.