The Bite of the Mango

When Mohamed tells Mariatu that “some fancy lady wants to see you” (122), her first thought is that it is another of his jokes. This time, however, it turns out to be true, and Mariatu meets Comfort, a social worker who tells Mariatu that a man named Bill from Canada has read a newspaper article about her and wants to help her. When Mariatu asks, Comfort gets out an atlas and shows her where Canada is, explaining that “it’s a rich country” (126), and that it is cold and snowy there. She tells Mariatu that snow is “like white salt that falls from the sky when it is very chilly” (126), an image that captures Mariatu’s imagination. Mariatu asks if Bill is “taking me to Canada” (126) and Comfort says he is not but wants to send clothes and money.

Soon, it is time for the stadium performance and Mariatu is so nervous that she asks Victor to leave without her. Victor tells her that “we can’t go on unless you are with us. We are group, a family, and we won’t be separated because you’re nervous” (130). Mariatu does perform that night and is surprised that she quickly forgot that she was “up in front of all those strangers” (131).