Summary

“Blue” begins with a group of Muslim women boarding a bus, taking them to a religious celebration. The narrator tells of a woman named Sister Memphis, whose husband has just left her. The other women theorize she might be ill because of her appearance. She is something of a disciplinarian, and the other women all fear her. More unease surrounds the group because one of the members had been shot and killed recently due to a minor dispute. A woman named Sister Saundra arrives late with her daughter, Danielle, and Memphis is tasked with keeping her “in line” (8). The bus pulls away toward the Saviours’ Day celebration.

On the way, Danielle tells Memphis that Saundra is not actually her mother, and Memphis marvels at how disheveled the child looks. Memphis feels a new warmth for the child, as she senses that...