The narrator describes the people who move to the Hill from various parts of the country and acclimate fairly quickly to city life. This is not the case for Pariag, however. He had aspired to become part of “something bigger” when he moved to Port of Spain from the country sugar estate where he grew up. He left the country with his wife, Dolly, but after two years, he has not been able to build any sense of community with his neighbors.

Pariag gets a steady job but he finds he resents his coworkers and is not able to befriend anyone in the community. He is briefly encouraged by the idea of a commission that he might earn through his work, but the other men seem to think it’s a myth, so Pariag, who is going by the name Boya at this time, grows restless and refuses to continue the job. Instead, he starts his own small business selling boiled peanuts and channa, a favorite dish of the community, outside of the race track and the football games. He attempts to bond with others through his preference for the Colts football team to no avail. Now known as Channa Boy, Pariah envies a man who sells snoballs outside the games; this small older man is affectionately known as “Colts” because of his cheering for the team. Pariag inspires no such devotion in those who buy his food.

While he is content that most people at the sporting events know him only as Channa Boy, Pariag hopes his neighbors will accept him, seeing how he and his wife are making a life. He dreams of being invited to hang out with the other men, but no invitations are offered. The only person Pariag builds any relationship with is Fisheye, who refers to him as “Indian” and questions where he lives. When Fisheye deems Pariag “a okay fellar,” he demands a shilling. The relationship with Fisheye never advances past his asking Pariag for a shilling whenever he sees him. Dolly tells her husband that the neighbors don’t like him because they are Creole, while she and Pariag are Indian.

Christmas brings a neighborhood ritual in the Yard where everyone goes to each other’s houses for drinks and food. Pariag is hopeful to be included, so he buys rum, and Dolly makes roti. He insists to his wife that the people in the Yard are just people who also see him and Dolly as people, and their coming by the house will prove this to her. Sadly, even though they prepare food and drink and are dressed neatly, no one comes. Pariag keeps hoping that his house will be the next stop, but they are continually passed over. He feels defeated, thinking his neighbors cannot “see” him.

Pariag buys a bicycle in order to gain attention and expand his business. He briefly feels enlivened by this choice, as he earns people’s notice by his erratic bicycle riding; they begin to call him “Crazy Indian.” When he gets back to the Hill, Fisheye demands two shillings, but Pariag doesn’t give him that much. Fisheye accuses him of being a “bigshot” with his new bicycle, and Pariag is proud of himself for calling the man Fisheye to his face. When he reaches the Yard, one of Miss Olive’s children wipes his snotty nose and then touches Pariag’s bicycle. Pariag asks the boy not to touch it, and Cleothilda calls Olive to come fetch her children, who are crowding around the bicycle. She rushes them away. When Mr. Guy asks what is going on, Cleothilda claims that Pariag almost killed the children for touching his bicycle. He is shocked by this misrepresentation and is at a loss to explain to his wife what happened.