In the second story, “Toccata and Fugue,” Abe is deeply conflicted. He loves singing opera more than anything, but he does not like modern Western culture at all. He is attracted to Christy but doesn’t want to give in to that, preferring that they remain singers, not lovers. Christy, however, is relentless and again seduces Abraham after an evening of duets. Abraham’s anger at Christy for overcoming his resistance and his anger at himself for succumbing result in some very violent sex. The situation is unbearable for Abraham, torn between two loves, and he manages to escape to his home village in the far north of Malawi to seek healing of his soul from an African healer. What he experiences there, including the discovery of a son he knew nothing about, strengthens his love for his own culture, and when the healer shows him in a dream that he will never be well until he chooses, he chooses Africa. He agrees to marry his son’s mother and to leave the city to return to his village.
