Are you from Detroit? I have been asked this question twenty-three times since moving to the area. In a month, I will stop counting, having reached a four-digit number. Shortly after that, I will begin telling people I have recently arrived from Africa. They will nod and exhale excitedly and ask about my tribe. I don't know that in this moment so there is little to comfort me. I shake my head.
The narrator frequently encounters the question of their origins since relocating to the area, specifically being asked if they are from Detroit. This inquiry has occurred twenty-three times and is expected to rise significantly in number. As time passes, they anticipate a time when they will stop counting and instead tell others that they have recently arrived from Africa, a claim that seems to intrigue those who ask.
Despite the excitement generated by this new narrative, the narrator grapples with uncertainty, particularly regarding their own cultural background. When pressed for details about their tribe, they find themselves unable to provide an answer, which adds to their discomfort. This highlights the challenges of identity and belonging faced by the narrator in a new environment.
