Summary

The short final chapter, “A Love Letter,” opens with a brief exchange between an unnamed African-American student and a visiting African professor. The student asks if Egypt is considered part of Africa, to which the professor responds “Certainly” (111). When pressed for an explanation, the professor says that he would need 3,000 years to explain.

The rest of “A Love Letter” is a letter written by Sissie and addressed to a man who is identified throughout only as “My Precious Something.” She promises My Precious Something that she will try to be positive. He tells her not to freeze time to “let it move” (113). Sissie agrees, but believes that they must give time something to carry. They first meet in a students’ union for African students, where they often debate the relative merits of staying in Europe or returning to their home countries. Sissie is...