Chapter 8 Summary

Gikonyo tells his story to Mugo. Days after hitting his head, he awoke and decided never to talk about the child and never to sleep with Mumbi again. He threw himself into work. Gikonyo feels judged by Mugo's silence and leaves. Mugo tries to call him back, but it's too late. Mugo feels he should have said something and wonders what would happen if he had confessed his own secrets. Mugo goes for a walk and recalls a day in 1955, during the Emergency when Mugo worked on his farmland in the morning, then rested at noon, feeling the possibilities of the future. This was the height of Mugo's life, before Robson's death and before Kihika entered Mugo's life.

Mugo goes to a tea shop and sits in a corner. Githua, on his crutches, comes over, drunk and bragging about his wealth before the...