What Is The What

Valentino Deng answers the door of his Atlanta, Georgia residence to find a tall African-American woman, Tonya, asking to use his phone. Before he has time to think, she is in his home and hurries to his bedroom, where she closes the door behind her. Moments later, he hears the voice of Powder, Tonya’s male accomplice, behind him, warning him to stay still: “Stay here, Africa” (4). Deng feels that he's being punished for the hubris of wanting to leave Africa and become solvent and secure in America. If this is the case, he wants to apologize: anything to get himself out of this situation.

Feeling angry, he protests, standing up to speak to Powder, but Powder quickly shuts him down. It seems he is about to be violent, but then calms himself and asks whether Deng is from Africa. When Deng says yes, Powder replies, “All right then. That means we’re brothers. And because we’re brothers and all, I’ll teach you a lesson. Don’t you know you shouldn’t open your door to strangers?” (5). The question makes Deng think about all the robberies he has seen, and how Tonya and Powder will take all the things in his apartment that were so kindly given to him by charities.