Children stream from their classrooms. Many rush to the fence, holding out dollar bills, buying shave ice, chips, soft drinks and tamarind-flavored candy. A chorus of chirpy voices asks for Flaming Hot Cheetos with lime juice and other treats. A boy squirts lemon juice in his Cheetos and in one eye, staggering away with a squint.
A 9-year-old boy walks up to Campos to claim his prize: He'd bet the vendor on the outcome of a soccer match.
"He won," Campos says with a smile, explaining that the boy gets a free item of his choice for three straight days.
The boy chooses a vanilla shave ice.
Seven-year-old Juliana Ortega hovers nearby, waiting for her mother.
"My daughter, right away, even before I get here, she's already ordering," says Martha Ortega, 26. She says she appreciates that Campos lets her buy things for her daughter and pay later. "He trusts me to pay him back."
Before long, most of the children have left. Campos and Vivar stay behind for a softball game at a nearby park. Campos makes a few more sales.
Just after 7, he turns his cart and heads home. It wasn't such a bad day. He took in $78. But for the second day in a row, 12 ears of corn sit unsold in his cooler, destined for the trash.
At 8 p.m., Campos reaches his front stoop. In the dwindling light, he crosses himself again, thanking God for keeping him safe. In the living room, he is greeted by images of St. Jude, Jesus and the Virgin of Guadalupe. At the dinner table, he prepares the flavored concoctions for his shave ice; then he goes to the store to buy milk for tomorrow.
About 10 p.m., he sits in his kitchen, decorated with three different images of "The Last Supper," and eats a dinner of beans and eggs. Rent is due soon.
Tomorrow, he'll head out again, but not before praying to St. Jude.
"He knows my anxieties right now," Campos says. "He knows we need money."
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hector.becerra@latimes.com
