Summary

The chapter introduced “Avtar Nijar, former student and now the youngest conductor employed by BUTA Travel” (102). Avtar visited his father, a silks salesperson, and went home to his mother – who was twenty years younger than his father – and brother, Navjoht. After taking a nap, Avtar joined his family for dinner and then sat on the balcony staring out at the city. Then he secretly met his girlfriend, Lakhpreet Sanghera, Randeep’s sister, in the bell tower of a cement factory. He described his first meeting with Lakhpreet, in which rudely told her that he was from a shareef, or “respectable” (106), family, then received a phone call from her promising she did not care.

The morning after receiving his wages, Avtar walked with his friend and fellow conductor Harbhajan, who stole a businessman’s cell phone left at the marketplace. Avtar protested that Harbhajan “could...