Darius the Great Is Not Okay

When Darius’s father picks him up, he notices the ruined backpack and reiterates that Chip would leave Darius alone if he stood up to him. He also announces that he’s scheduled haircut for Darius and himself. When Darius protests, he retorts, “[I]t’s ridiculous. Did you ever think that you wouldn’t get picked on so much if you weren’t so...” (42). Normally, Darius would take his bike home or to work rather than riding with his father, and he feels that the extra time together is worsening their already rocky relationship.

After Darius and his father get home, Darius brews a pot of Persian tea to share with Laleh. Mr. Apatan has given him the week off to prepare for the trip, saying it’s “important […] [t]o see where you came from” (45). At dinner, Darius says little about school when his mother asks, distracted by the way his father is monitoring how much he eats. That night, instead of watching an episode of Star Trek, Darius begins packing. He’s interrupted by his mother calling for him to come talk to Mamou and Babou, which Darius finds awkward. He doesn’t feel he really knows his grandfather at the best of times, and Babou’s terminal illness further complicates matters.