Summary

Dovaleh introduces the story of his first funeral he had ever attended, and after sensing reluctance in the crowd, he whips the guests up into a frenzy of people standing and waving their arms. Even Avishai is tempted to join in as he pines for Tamara's presence, at one point letting loose a roar, with only the sight of Azulai covering her ears restraining him. After the crowd quiets down, Avishai notes Dovaleh trying to catch his breath and is struck with revelation: Dovaleh is sick, most likely with prostate cancer. He ponders how such a condition escaped his notice, how Dovaleh's performance on stage is drawing out his grief for Tamara, something "all the books I read and the movies I watched and the consolations offered by friends and relatives these past three years did not do for me?" (71).

As Dovaleh launches...