Salim

The first-person narrator, Salim, is an Arab-African of Indian decent in his early 20s. His family has lived on the eastern coast of Africa for generations. He is an observer and an analyzer. This makes him constantly insecure. He begins to worry about his family's position and aspirations. For instance, he left English-language school when he was 16, not because he wasn't bright or motivated, but because no one in his family had attended school beyond 16. He is not willing to stay and work in the family business. He optimistically buys a store in a faraway town from a family friend who has enchanted Salim with stories of the town and the people. The trip to the town takes a full week and with steady nerves Salim pays bribes to many people along the way. He finds the town and his store a mess. He sells what he can...