Summary

In “Cell Service,” Nagy and Ehab strike up a conversation based on their shared love of debate, Nagy from his university education in philosophy, and Ehab from his journalism. Ehab pieces together Yehya’s story and asks to be included in Amani’s mission to Zephyr, to give her more clout and because he wants to cover the story. Um Mabrouk, meanwhile, has brought her young son to live with her in the queue, where he is slowly becoming healthier from the fresh air. The family is running out of money because Um Mabrouk is spending all of her time in the queue, and her sick daughter decides to seek another job, for which she needs her health certificate. Um Mabrouk cannot find it right away and her illiteracy makes it difficult to...