Fausto lives with his family in a typical Hispanic neighborhood. His grandfather may also live with his family although this is not definitively established in the narrative. Fausto is energetic, industrious, and conscientious. He attends church with his mother sporadically. After seeing Los Lobos perform on television, Fausto decides that he wants to be a guitar player in a rock and roll band. Although he has seen other bands on television, he has never seen a Hispanic rock and roll band before. Seeing the Hispanic members of Los Lobos ignites a fire within Fausto. He spends several hours trying to earn money to purchase a guitar, knowing that his parents do not have the money for one. Fausto eventually finds a lost dog and returns it to the owner, embellishing the story of finding the dog in the hopes of gaining a big reward. Fausto does receive a twenty-dollar reward for returning the dog. The reward makes Fausto feel guilty however so he donates all of his money to the church in an act of repentance. Later, Fausto's mother remembers there is an old bass guitar in the garage and Fausto doe receive his instrument after all.