Go, Went, Gone

Richard does not have a gift for Rashid, but he lets him choose one of the winter coats from his closet: “And now Richard, an atheist with a Protestant mother, stands with his Muslim guest before the illuminated, heathen Christmas tree” (188). Rashid enjoys the meal, and then Richard tours him through the house, explaining the symbolism of various decorations. When he is showing him the figures of the Three Holy Kings, Rashid reminds him that Jesus is in the Quran, and that one of the Three Holy Kings is black.

Rashid tells him that when he left home, his son Ahmed was almost 3, and his daughter Amina was 5. After school most days, they would come play at the metal shop where Rashid worked. One afternoon his wife called and said something was happening; she was afraid to go home alone. When Rashid tried to take the children home, he couldn't reach his house because the blocks had been cordoned off. Richard remembers Tristan telling him a similar story. For five days Rashid was in the barracks with his children, and then they were put on a boat: “The Europeans bomb us—so we’ll bomb them with blacks, Gaddafi said” (192).