What Is The What

Deng describes his best day in a flashback. He is 6 years old. When he arrives at school, he is told that school has been cancelled for the day, and he can go home and do what he wants. His mother is his father’s first wife out of six wives total, and he goes home to spend time with her, helping around the home. She calls him Achak, which is his given name; later, nicknames would stand in for it. Deng’s mother sends him off to play with his friends Moses and William K. Moses likes to shape little cows out of clay. William K crushes one of them, and the boys fight. They are interrupted by the sight of a beautiful, shiny bicycle. Jok Nyibek Arou, the local tailor, is the owner of the bike. He offers to ride it for the boys, but goes very slowly and keeps the plastic on it, so they make fun of the man a little. He lets the boys watch the bike for him when he goes inside.

Later, Deng annoys his sister, Amel, and she sends him off to see Amath, a girl who is his sister’s age and whom Deng has a crush on.