The story begins with an omniscient narrator describing how Mery Yagual struggles with her identity. She was born as María de las Mercedes Yagual Pozo but goes by Mery Yagual. In the story, it says that she struggled with her identity, “she gets up every day being María Yagual and she wants to be Mercedes Pozo” (83). Mery wanted to identify as less Indian because that’s what she believed was best. Mery is the protagonist and her identity is the principal conflict. After explaining Mery’s identity problem the narrator talks about Mery’s routine. First, she showers, next eats breakfast and then got dressed for work. Also, she leaves for work early because to be punctual and to walk to work so she “burns more calories…[to] eat more” (84). This story takes place in many places, but mostly at Mery’s job. Mery is a secretary and one of the first thing she does when she arrives is wait for the boss in his office. The narrator continues to describe Mery’s routine around the office in chronological order. For example, at 5:30 Mery got a visit from John, who flirts with her. At seven o’clock it was time for her to leave and her boyfriend, Mauricio, came to pick her up. He takes her home and they made make out in his car. He didn’t go inside her apartment, but they talked about their plans for the future. He wanted to marry her, but she was keeping a secret from him. She hasn’t told him how she’s not a virgin. This could be because she’s afraid of that he’s going to break up with her.