Tayo has a flashback to when Josiah bought the cattle. Josiah had fallen in love with a Mexican cantina dancer named Night Swan, who lived in Cubero above an old bar/convenience store (Night Swan would mysteriously vanish after Josiah’s death). Night Swan convinced Josiah to buy some cattle from her cousin Ulibarri in Mexico, saying they would be highly resistant to the ongoing drought. Josiah agreed, wanting his family to enjoy independence and financial security.

Josiah began to teach himself about cattle breeding and rearing, though he had little faith in how white people approached these things. He butted heads with Rocky, who was convinced Josiah needed to follow white scientists’ books to the letter. Once they were delivered to the ranch, the cows were scared of the open land, having been kept in barns their whole life. They constantly tried to move south to Mexico, forcing Josiah and Tayo to keep a close eye on them. Meanwhile, Josiah’s relationship with Night Swan strained his relationship with his sister, Thelma, who worried about their familial reputation.

Before the drought, Tayo’s family had hired his cousin Pinkie to herd their sheep.