Ventura, a retired immigrant laborer, circulates amonghis children including a recovering drug addict, a beggar, a museum guard, and a mystical idler who is the last holdout in the crumbling slum as he negotiates with the authorities over his impending move to a modern, antiseptic new apartment.
Memories of 1982 are still fresh in Mr Church's mind, especially as he has been trying to "build up some excitement" for the coming day amonghis younger children.