The Truth of Manuel Wu

“Stop that thief!” yelled the man. No one in the crowded streets stopped the boy from running away with a loaf of bread. There was always someone stealing something from someone. The man stop chasing the boy when he reached the corner and the boy crossed the street in heavy traffic.
“Next time, I’ll cut your arm off.” But the boy ignored this warning. The boy walked into a dark alley and sat down to enjoy his meal. He opened his bag and started eating his bread. He then heard a plane above and looked up.
“Wat sucker is entering tis stupid cauntry?” he thought. He then shrugged if off and continue eating.

“Manito, don’t wander off.” Said the man. The man was wearing a suit, like any other businessman, but he was talking to his son who was wearing a collar shirt and long pants, he looked like he was going to a rich boarding school. Manito stood by his father, until his father saw an interesting newspaper. Manito then walked away to a huge glass window, where he could view all of Beijing. But Manito was still disappointed about moving.
Manuel Wu is Manito’s full name. He was born in the Bronx of New York City. His father was always away on business trips, so his mother raised him. Manito only saw his father once a year and never really liked him. His father was not there when he learned to talk or walk. He was also away for all his birthdays. Manito was with his mom so much that he learned to speak both English and Spanish. His father wished he could learn Chinese. When Manito was five, his mother died of a heart disease, leaving Manito in his father’s care. Manito’s father took him to Mexico, where Manito stayed with his father for two years. In Mexico, Manito made friends and played soccer. His hair became curly brown and he looked a lot like his mother. He only had his father’s tiny Asian eyes, which he was upset about.
After looking out the window, Manito walked back to the newspaper stand, only to discover that his father was no longer there. Manito looked all around, but he saw too many men in suits and they all looked alike.
“Dad!” he yelled, but no answer.
Manito walked outside, thinking he might find his father getting help from the police to find his son, but his father was nowhere in sight. Instead Manito, saw a boy close to his age digging though garbage. Manito walked over to the boy and stared at him. The boy stopped digging when he noticed Manito.
“Wat da ya want rich kid?” the boy asks. Manito just stood there with a strange look because he didn’t understand Chinese.
“Ya don’t speak Chinese. Where’s ya pa o ma? I’m talk’en ta ya rich kid,” said the boy holding a chicken leg that was left over. Manito just looked at him and said nothing.
“Ya nat from a’round here. Go ta ya rich life,” said the boy and he started walking away. Manito didn’t know what to do, but follow. The boy tried to get Manito away from him, but Manito kept following him.
“Fine. Ya can stay wit me,” said the boy and he let Manito follow him.
The two boys walked into a huge landfill that was filled with other homeless children. Manito saw children fighting over a piece of chicken, a young girl carrying a baby, and an older boy watching the kids, laughing and smoking. The boy took Manito to a broken van that was missing a door.
“Welcame home.” Said the boy. The two boys sat inside and then the boy started eating his chicken. He took off a piece and handed it to Manito who was starving and decided to eat it.
“Manito.” Manito said pointing to himself.


The four boys were running down the street away from the police. Even though five years passed, nothing changed in the city. The four boys knew the streets well and knew where to hide and where all the short cuts were. After running around through dark allies, they got away from the police.
“I want my share,” said Lin.
“Fine. Here,” said the bigger boy. He handed three hundred and forty yuan to Lin and then to Manito.
“Da deal was seven hundred,” said Lin.
“Hey! You did ya job, but it wasn’t worth seven hundred,” said the other boy.
“We help ya steal tat money!” exclaimed Lin, but the two older boys walked away.
“Buy ya selves some boos,” one said. Lin couldn’t fight back; the two older boys were much bigger and stronger.
“I am gaing ta buy some candy,” said Manito.
“Ya ga do tat. I’ll ga ta da old man’s store,” said Lin. Then the two walked their separated ways.
It was almost nighttime when Manito went back to the landfill. Manito noticed that there were more homeless children than when he arrived five years ago. Manito also saw a couple of dead children every now and then. Their bodies were just dumped into the pile of trash. Usually the kids died of starvation, cold, or abuse by the older kids. Most kids who die are the younger kids who have no protection. No one.
In his van which Manito and Lin shared, he took out his pile of candy and chocolate and started shoving them in his mouth until he was full. Manito quickly noticed a smaller child trying to take a piece of his candy and Manito kicked him to the ground. The kid started to run.
“If I see ya tauch anyth’en of mines again, I’ll cut ya arm aff!” yelled Manito. Manito then looked at the moon. It’s been five years since Manito saw his father, since he was on his own. Manito wondered every night if his father was looking for him or just gave up. Did he even care at all? Manito didn’t spend much time with his father, not even in Mexico.
On the streets, Manito befriended Lin, an orphan from an earthquake. Lin grew up in a small village full of farmers, only his older sister and he survived the earthquake, along with many other homeless farmers and orphans. Lin and his sister were left on the streets and his sister fell in love with a gangster, who didn’t like Lin. His sister’s boyfriend beat Lin up every day and then Lin decided to leave. The day Lin left was the day his sister and her boyfriend died in a shoot out. Lin said he could care less; he was only eight years old.
Now on the streets Manito was twelve and Lin was fourteen. A couple of years ago, Lin got addicted to stuff that Manito didn’t like. It made Lin crazy and sick, but he kept either buying it or stealing it. Manito said he would never get addicted to it, but Lin says he would when he’s older.
Life on the streets was difficult: not knowing when you’ll eat, not knowing what the day is going to be like, not even knowing if you are going to survive. But Manito did enjoy the freedom. He also preferred his baggy shorts and old T-shirts instead of his fancy clothes his father made him wear. But Manito did miss a bed, a place with a lot of food, a place to learn, and a place that was warm every day during any season.
Manito woke up to screams in the landfill. Manito then saw red and blue flashing lights.
“How did dey find us?” Manito thought and quickly jumped out of the van. He started running towards the end of the landfill where the emergency escape route was. No one could follow him once he got out of the landfill and went down that route. Everywhere Manito ran, he heard screams and cries of children being caught by the police.
“There’s one here!” someone yelled and Manito turned around to see a policeman starting to chase him. Manito was so close to the emergency escape, but then a policeman jumped in front of him and tackled him to the ground.
“No!” Manito yelled in English. Manito was handcuffed and then put in a van with other children and he knew he would never see the landfill and Lin again.
Manito and the other children were drop off at the police station. Cops kept coming one by one, taking about five to ten children and then leaving. Manito knew they were going to orphanages, most likely the same one if they took them by groups. Before Manito knew it, there were only four kids left. A policeman came in and took the four children.
“Wat about me?” ask Manito.
“Stay here.” The policeman. Then there was one.
After what seemed like hours, a policeman came in with a man in a suit with a suitcase that the businessman carry around. The man was tall, white skin, short brown hair, and blue eyes. Manito could tell he was not from China.
“Manuel Wu.” The man said with an American accent. Manito knew he spoke English and absolutely no Chinese by his accent. Manito stared at him trying to think why he knew his name.
“I am Mr. Cooks. I work for your father. We’ve been looking for you. Five years. We never thought you would be with a group of orphans,” he said.
“Wat did ya think?” Manito asks in English.
“We thought you were kidnapped. But your father never gave up.”
“Is my father here?”
“No, he is currently in Germany, working on a project.”
“Dat saunds just like him. Does he knaw I am here?”
“No, not yet. We will call him. I just wanted you to know, he’s been looking for you.” The man got up and started to leave. Manito was then in deep thought. He then looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was longer; black straight hair. His skin got more tanned. He looked more Chinese than Hispanic, like his father. Manito then got up.
“Tell him, I dan’t want ta live with him!” Manito yelled.
“The law states he is your father and with no other relatives, you will be sent to live with him,” said the man and he walked out.
Manito was in the back of the car with a social worker. Manito was going to a foster home to stay at for a couple of days because his flight didn’t leave until after the holidays. Manito didn’t like his new clothes and didn’t want to return to his father. When the car stopped at a traffic light, Manito opened the door and ran. He heard the social worker yell his name, but Manito kept running. He ran down the busy street until he was gone from view.


The funeral was held in the Bronx, in respect of the boy. The boy had no relatives but his father, who didn’t even shed a tear for him. The boy was twelve but his father only had pictures of him from when he was five to seven years old. In all of the pictures, the boy was not smiling or laughing. The father got up and walked to Mr. Cooks.
“He was in Beijing?” he asks.
“Yes, we confirmed who he was by his teeth. He was burned badly in the fire, you couldn’t even recognized him.”
“I see. Thank you. I had finally found my son.” The father was the only person to attend the church and then the burial. Mr. Cooks sat in his car, knowing that Manito was still out there, somewhere in China. Mr. Cooks could never tell the man who wasted billions of dollars to find his son that he ran away and didn’t want to return. Mr. Cooks sat in the car only knowing the real truth of Manuel Wu.