Summary

In Chapter 1, Arman Bajalan woke early and headed to the bus for “work at the motel on Ocean View” (5). He had been working for Mr. Peters since coming to the States.

The bus did not come. Arman had to wait for another. He reflected on his life since leaving Iraq. He often felt incapable of escaping himself.

Arman swam at Ocean View Beach Park. In the bathroom, he encountered two men who made him feel uncomfortable. They muttered an insult and hid something in “the beach grass” (7). Arman had tried to change his views of Americans since the incident in Iraq. At times he felt “he was in two places and times at once” (7). Arman’s morning swims and daily rituals helped him feel better. He had thought he was improving until he discovered a body on the beach. He sat with the...