Asha attends Brown University in Rhode Island, and it is Parents’ Weekend, so both Somer and Kris are on campus to visit. Asha introduces them to Jeremy Cooper, the faculty adviser for the college newspaper, The Daily Herald. Asha, much to her parents’ dismay, is still pursuing her ambitions to become a journalist. Jeremy compliments Somer and Kris, saying that Asha is “one of the finest young journalists” he has seen in his years at Brown, but the compliment falls flat—Somer and Kris still want Asha to go into medicine (148). Later, Somer gives Asha an early birthday present: A handheld video camera. 

Kavita and Jasu have suddenly come into prosperity, now that—at just 16 years old—Vijay has a successful messenger business with his friend Pulin. While Kavita and Jasu expressed some disappointment that Vijay would not make use of his schooling, Vijay countered by saying that his messenger business was still a good job.

Kavita and Jasu are on their way home from the cinema when they come upon a young handicapped girl who is being taunted by a group of men: “She's down on her knees on the ground, crying, disoriented, groping about for something” (153).