Main character (MC) left India in 1964 with a certificate in commerce with 10 dollars on himself.

After sailing for three weeks, MC arrives in England and lives in Finsbury Park, London in a
house occupied by other poor Bengali struggling to make do. MC attended lectures at L.S.E and
worked at the university’s library to make money. In their house, a room is occupied by 3-4
people where they share the same cold toilet and take turns making egg curry, in which all of
them eat on a table covered with newspapers. On weekends, they either hang out or watch
cricket at Lord’s. They also have their house filled with other Bengalis where they watch movies
while eating the same egg curry and soaking their plates on their bathtub. Some time later, an
occupant of the house left to be in an arranged marriage. In 1969, 36 years old MC also had his
marriage arranged while he was offered a full-time job in America in a library in M.I.T. The salary
was good enough so he went back to Calcutta to attend his marriage and a week later arrived in
Boston to continue his work. He has to teach himself that Americans drive on the right side,
elevators are called lifts and “an engaged phone busy”. As MC arrives, President Nixon
announces a national holiday due to 2 Americans landing on the Moon. The first night, MC
spent it at Y.M.C.A. in Central Square, Cambridge in which the room contained a cot, desk,
small wooden cross on one wall and a sign saying cooking is prohibited. As car horns continue
to blare on the street, MC has difficulties sleeping. In the morning, MC reported to his job,
opened a bank account, bought a plastic bowl and spoon, went to a supermarket named Purity
Supreme and bought a carton of milk and a box of cornflakes. After a week of eating cornflakes
and milk for breakfast and dinner, MC bought bananas for variety. To pass time in the evenings,
he would read the Boston Globe downstairs to grow familiar with things until he was tired. After
that, MC would have to open his window to let air in which causes him to have trouble sleeping
as the noises outside would make him wake up. This happened for 6 weeks as he was
preparing to bring his wife here. To prepare for her arrival, MC looks for an apartment but was
rejected as the landlady only wants students from Harvard or Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (Tech). After being given another address, MC went there dressed as sharp as ever
through the heat of the day. After MC pressed the doorbell, a woman told him to wait for a
minute until a really old woman opened the door. As MC never lived with another race, he is a
bit scared. As MC analyzes the old woman, she yells “lock up!” then commands that MC “fasten
the chain and firmly press the button on the knob” whenever he enters. As instructed, MC
locked the door and examined the house where he saw a table with a lamp, a transistor radio, a
leather change purse, a telephone and a cane. He then saw a piano with its bench missing,
noticing that the old woman was sitting on it while hearing the dinging of a clock seven times.
The old woman comments that he is punctual with his arrival and is expecting the same with his
rent. MC then gives a letter to the old woman saying that he is from M.I.T. and the woman barely
looks like she’s reading it while saying that the previous renter was a Harvard boy who was
always late with his rent and still owes her 8 dollars. After telling MC to sit down, she said that
there is an American flag on the moon of which MC said he has heard of it. Unsatisfied with his
response, she asked the MC to say “Splendid!” of which he murmured then having to yell and
the woman was satisfied. She then said to MC to “see the room” and MC is satisfied with the
layout of the room. After returning to the foyer, the woman said the kitchen is free to use, gave
MC the keys and expressed “no lady visitors!”. MC said that he is married but the woman
insisted with her words. The old woman’s name was Ms. Croft and MC's wife is named Mala.
The marriage was arranged by his brother and wife and MC accepted it simply because of his
responsibility as a son. Mala was a daughter of a schoolteacher in Beleghata and she can cook,
knit, embroider, sketch landscapes and recite poems by Tagore. However, since she hasn’t a
fair complexion, no one wants her and since she was 27 years old, her marriage was arranged
to avoid her being single forever. They shared a bed for five nights and after MC applied cold
cream and braided her hair, she wept to MC saying that she missed her parents. As per custom,
she spent 6 weeks in MC’s brother’s household, attending guests and cleaning the house while
MC did nothing to console her. Before leaving London, MC had watched his mother die on the
same bed Mala used to sleep on. As she was playing with her defecation on her final days, MC
cleaned her nails with a hairpin and took the role of an eldest son and touched the flame to her
temple. Moving on to the present, MC moved into Mrs. Croft’s house the next morning. As she
looked the same as yesterday, she shouts to the boy and asks him to sit down. MC was carrying
the same groceries; milk, cornflakes and bananas with him. Mrs. Croft asked if he has locked
the door and after MC said yes, Mrs. Croft said that there is an American flag on the moon, of
which MC approves. Mrs. Croft then asked him to yell “Splendid!” in which MC did. This
continues to happen again and again; lock the door and yell “Splendid!” to the American flag on
the moon. On Friday morning, MC left his lettered rent on the piano. Mrs. Croft then came
forward and MC handed over the rent to her. When MC returns home, he was asked to lock the
door and Mrs. Croft said that MC was kind while still holding the envelope. On Sunday, Mrs.
Croft’s daughter, Helen, came into MC’s room. She checked into the room and states that she
comes once a week to deliver groceries to her mom. She also said that the previous renters are
not happy here but MC is the first one she called a “gentleman”. Mc then said he’s from
Calcutta, India but suddenly, Mrs. Croft yelled for Helen to come downstairs. MC puts on his
shoes and follows through. Helen said to Mrs. Croft that she should be using her cane but Mrs.
Croft was mad at Helen for two people who are not married to each other converse without a
chaperone. When Helen states that she’s 68 and that it’s 1969, Mrs. Croft states that girls
should not mention their age, remarks at Helen wearing a skirt above her ankles and she’d have
girls with miniskirts arrested. Helen then carries the groceries to the kitchen and MC helps her.
Helen throws out the old soup, washes the saucepan, pours the new soup in the saucepan and
puts it in the fridge. She then asked MC for a cup of tea. After MC filled the kettle on the stove,
Helen told him of how Mrs. Croft back then used to teach piano lessons after her husband died
and threw out an old unopened butter. When MC asks whether she will be enough with the soup
in the saucepan, Helen replies with her no longer eating solid food after she reached 100 which
was 3 years ago. MC was stumped after knowing of her age since he took care of his mother
when his father died. Her mother never became the same person ever since and MC said he
would like to reheat her soup in the evenings. He said it was not a problem but Helen said that
would kill her. After 6 weeks, MC had begun to think for Mrs. Croft and at the end of August,
Mala’s passport and green card were ready. As his brother doesn’t have a telephone, a letter
written in English states that she is preparing for the journey. MC is unphased with the letter as it
does not contain any intimacy. A few days later, MC figures out that he must prepare her winter
clothes and familiarize herself with the surroundings. For the preparation, he went to the
housing office at M.I.T. and found a furnished apartment with a double bed and a private kitchen
and bath for 40 dollars a week and sent his final rent to Mrs. Croft as he was moving out. Mrs.
Croft said to give her the cane so that she could give her goodbyes to MC. Time passes and MC
awaits for Mala. When she arrived, MC asked in Bengali whether she was hungry and she said
yes. MC asked if she ate in the plane but she said no, stating that the ox tail soup made her lose
her appetite. As MC was ready to bring her back for the egg curry, she gave him presents of
clothing, tea and a letter from his brother. MC asks for her to be comfortable around the house
but she is very much conserved with her behavior for a week. After that, MC and Mala were
getting comfortable with their house chores and MC were able to give a tour of M.I.T. to Mala.
On Friday, MC thought about asking her out but Mala was overdressed. As MC was walking
with Mala on places he’s walked before, they both stopped at Mrs. Croft house. MC told Mala
that he used to rent here and the landlady was an old lady. When MC approached the door, it
was opened quickly by Helen. She said that her mother was laying down on her bed as she fell
and her hip broke. After seeing MC, she asked for him to sit down. After a few conversations,
MC yelled “Splendid!”, Mala laughed a bit and Mrs.Croft asked about his partner. MC said that
she is his wife and Mrs. Croft asked whether she plays piano. When Mala said no, Mrs. Croft
asks her to stand up while she examines her. After a while. Mrs. Croft said that she is perfect
and MC laughed a bit. After that, their relationship became better. They were able to meet other
Bengalis, took pictures together and their love truly blossomed. MC talks about his mother, Mrs.
Croft obituaries came to MC and he was not able to let go of her. He mourns Mrs. Croft so much
that Mala found him staring quietly at a wall. After a while, they both became American citizens
and had a son who attended Harvard, Mala is a lot more comfortable with MC, they visit
Calcutta every few years though decided that they would live in US, she no longer weeps for her
parents and instead to her son of which both usually visit so they can eat with their hands and
speak Bengali to. Whenever they visit, they usually drive to the same road as Mrs. Croft’s
house. His son was just amazed at how cheap rent was back then. As the story ends, MC talks
about how he went through 3 continents, eating the things he ate, going through the things he
went through and found himself amazed at what he had done. If he can do it, so can his son. He
thinks of the past as something to be thought of and thinks of it as something beyond
imagination.