Constancia, from “Abuela Invents the Zero,” by Judith Ortiz-Cofer, chose not to help her Abuela because she did not want her friends to tease her. This is because Constancia wanted to be appreciated, which cannot happen if her friends find out about her weird grandmother. When Abuela is lost, Connie says, “I realize to my horror that my grandmother is lost. She can’t find her way back to the pew. I am so embarrassed” (Ortiz-Cofer para. 14). She will not even get up to help her grandmother, for fear her friends will find out and make her feel like she has no dignity. She does this only to be held in high esteem by her friends. Connie rationalizes her choice by knowing that, otherwise, “[O]n Monday my friends, and my enemies, in the barrio will