“come on, man, let me use it,” alfonso pleaded. “, ernie, i’ll do anything.” although ernie could see alfonso’s desperation, he had plans with his friend raymundo. they were going to catch frogs at the mayfair canal. he felt sorry for his brother and gave him a stick of gum to make him feel better, but there was nothing he could do. the canal was three miles away, and the frogs were waiting. which message does gary soto want readers to take away?

The message that Gary Soto want readers to take away is that people place their own needs above those of others.

Explanation:

This story is about this guy Alfonso who doesn't feel happy with the way he looks and he has the necessity to push everyone away and he tries to change himself to please others, so one day he gets to know this girl that he likes and he asks her to go for a ride, when she says yes he tries to make his bike look the best so in the process he breaks the chain and after asking his brother for his bike and receiving a no for an answer because he had plans and even when he could see that his brother was extremely sad he wasn't willing to change them in his favor.

i think it's either 'to expose the corruption of the communists in russia', or 'to criticize animal brutality by communists in russia.'  

hope this ! : )