Read the sentence from Barrio Boy by Ernesto Galarza. You never knew when a compadre or comadre of your aunt, or your uncle, or your father, or your mother was watching. For that matter, even people who were not compadres to your family thought they had some sort of rights over you. If you did or said something slightly irregular at the farthest end of the street from your cottage, where your legitimate bosses lived, somebody would be watching and ready to call out: "Mira, que muchachito tan malcriado." And if the offense was considered serious, the voice would say, "You will see, I am going to tell your mother." What does the author mean by "legitimate bosses"? friends parents police officers work managers

In the passage from **Barrio Boy** by Ernesto Galarza, the term "legitimate bosses" refers to authoritative figures within the family structure, specifically the **parents**. Here's a breakdown of the context: - **Neighborhood Surveillance:** The author describes a community where various relatives (compadres and comadres) and even non-relative individuals monitor each other's behavior. - **Authority Figures:** The "legitimate bosses" live at the far end of the street, symbolizing their role as the primary authority figures in the household. - **Parental Discipline:** The mention of telling "your mother" if an offense is serious further emphasizes that parents are the ones who hold legitimate authority over the children in this setting. Therefore, **"legitimate bosses"** in this context metaphorically represent the **parents**, who are the primary authority figures responsible for overseeing and disciplining the children. **Answer:** parents