Summary

In "Resurrection Hardware or, Lard & Promises," Randall sees a mysterious man in his home. The man disappears, unnerving Randall.

Fifteen years prior, Randall and his partner Siddiq, bought the estate together. Randall felt embarrassed by how much he loved the kitchen he had designed (114). Randall and Siddiq met "at the Harlem Settlement House" where Randall volunteered (115). The more time they spent together, the more they learned about each other. Siddiq liked hearing about Randall's childhood in North Carolina. Randall was fascinated by Siddiq's boyhood in Egypt. They shared their stories of disconnection from their pasts.

Randall's independent food-writing career had been inspired by his friend Alexa's encouragement. Randall and Alexa worked at a magazine in New York. After Alexa's divorce, she and Randall moved together to North...