Fasting, Feasting: Chapter 24 Summary & Analysis

It is August. Arun comes into the kitchen in the morning, to find Melanie sitting sullenly at the kitchen table while Mrs. Patton scrambles eggs. Mrs. Patton tells Melanie that her father thinks she should “go outside and play games,” because she doesn’t look well. Arun is pouring a bowl of cereal, and notices that Melanie’s face in swollen. He wonders if Mrs. Patton notices. Mrs. Patton puts a plate of scrambled eggs before Melanie and tells her they will “do her good.” Melanie gets up, crying, and yells at her mother for never asking her what she wants to eat. She tells her mom that everything she cooks is poison. After Melanie storms off, Mrs. Patton shrugs lightly and turns to Arun, saying she knows that he would never say anything “silly” like that.

Mrs. Patton announces to Arun that it is time to go shopping again. Arun remarks that maybe they should finish the food in the house first, but Mrs. Patton says, “What would we do in an emergency?” When they get to the grocery section, she starts expertly filling up her cart. Arun feels sickened by the excess, and he wonders if that is what bothers Melanie. He tries to put back a tub of ice cream, but Mrs. Patton playfully tells him no, it’s her favorite. At the check stand, the girl cashiering casually asks Mrs. Patton if she is pregnant, and at Mrs. Patton’s offence, the cashier tells her she “just has that glow.” The entire drive home, Arun is too embarrassed to speak, but Mrs. Patton drives fast and too carelessly, railing on about the cashier girl, asking Arun for his reassurance that she isn’t fat, or old.