The Namesake

by Jhumpa Lahiri

But now it is his room at Yale where Gogol feels most comfortable. He likes its oldness, its persistent grace. He likes that so many students have occupied it before him. He likes the solidity of its plaster walls, its dark wooden floorboards, however battered and stained.

But his father is not the type to admit such things, to speak openly of his desires, his moods, his needs.

irritated by his parents’ perpetual fear of disaster.

the amount of effort embarrasses him.

“To get away from all this.” “I don’t want to get away.”

that we went together to a place where there was nowhere left to go.”

This is the way he still finds her most ravishing, unadorned, aware that it is a way she is willing to look for no one but him.