The narrator, a man in his forties born in the UK, finds himself working undocumented in the US during the pandemic, doing menial jobs due to a lack of documentation. The story is set in the Spring of 2020, during the global lockdown. The narrator had previously contracted COVID and still suffers from its effects, feeling exhausted with severe aches and pains. He lacks health insurance and was evicted from his hostel when he tested positive, leading to him living in his car. His life is in turmoil, and he’s taken up a job delivering groceries.
One day, he arrives at a house in upstate New York to deliver groceries, and he encounters Alice, his first true love, at the gate. Alice recognizes him despite both wearing masks and offers him shelter in a cabin on the estate when he faints from exhaustion. She knows he’s unwell and can’t call an ambulance. Alice informs him that the estate owner, Greg, is strict about security, so he must stay indoors. She leaves food and drink outside his door, and he rests and recovers for over a week.
During this time, the narrator reflects on his past. He was born to an English mother out of wedlock, and his biological father was a Black British man. He grew up with a stepfather named Douglas, who was racist and bullied him throughout his childhood. He eventually moved in with his strict but loving grandmother, “Nan.” Despite his lack of sophistication, the narrator was a talented artist and got into an exclusive art school in London. He formed a close friendship with Rob, a working-class Mancunian artist, which was marked by both camaraderie and competition.
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