Nervous Conditions

Nuns come to the missionary while Tambu’s class is studying for their exams. They are disappointed to discover that nuns are ordinary people. The nuns give the grade seven students a written test and then hold interviews with each student. Afterward, Tambu discovers the nuns are offering scholarships to the Young Ladies College of the Sacred Heart. Their intent is to provide scholarships to a multiracial school, and once the selected students finish school, they are offered a chance to join their convent, although becoming a nun is not a requirement for the scholarship. Tambu, who had the benefit of learning from Nyasha, performs well on the test and is offered a scholarship. Nyasha does not think Tambu should attend the school, arguing that Tambu will forget her roots. Tambu, however, feels Nyasha’s skepticism stems from her affluence and privilege, and Tambu wants to take every opportunity she gets because she does not have the same privilege. Babamukuru also does not want Tambu to attend the school, arguing it will be too expensive and that it will corrupt her and make it harder for her to settle into a decent marriage. Maiguru disagrees, and she argues that many people are prejudiced against educated women.

Tambu returns to the homestead for another Christmas vacation; Babamukuru drops her off but does not stay to discuss Tambu’s future. Maiguru refuses to return to the homestead for the holidays, so Babamukuru, sometimes accompanied by his family, drives to the homestead each day. On New Year’s Eve, Babamukuru talks with Jeremiah about accepting Tambu’s scholarship, and he agrees to let her attend the school. Tambu overhears and goes to the kitchen where Ma’Shingayi is nursing Dambudzo. She tells her mother that Babamukuru is letting her attend the school, but Ma’Shingayi reacts negatively to the news: “Tell me, Tambudzai, does that man want to kill me, to kill me with his kindness, fattening my children only to take them away, like cattle are fattened for slaughter” (187). She also criticizes the wedding. Afterward, Ma’Shingayi’s depression worsens, and Dambudzo develops diarrhea attributed to feeding from an unsanitary bottle. Lucia takes Ma’Shingayi and Dambudzo to the river, places Dambudzo on a rock in the water, and forces Ma’Shingayi to go to him so he does not fall into the water. Ma’Shingayi washes herself and her child while Lucia cleans their clothes. They return home, and Lucia cooks for Ma’Shingayi. She stays for two days before returning to her job in town, and Ma’Shingayi, after a week, feels better and starts working in her garden again.

Tambu must take the bus back to town, as Babamukuru says he is too busy to come for her. When she arrives, Tambu is disappointed to find that Nyasha is not at home. She leaves for her new school the next day and does not have much time left with her cousin. She goes to the mission school, where she finds a group of her friends playing netball. They are rude to her, but they tell her to write to them. Tambu finds Nyasha studying and sits quietly but anxiously. Nyasha stops and says she will miss Tambu then suggests they go home for dinner. They are late getting home, and Babamukuru is angry. Nyasha asks to skip dinner, but Babamukuru says no and demands that she clean her plate. Nyasha hurriedly complies and is excused, but when Tambu is excused, she hears Nyasha vomiting in the bathroom. Later, Tambu asks if Nyasha is sick, but Nyasha admits she made herself sick. She says that she tries to be good but can’t, and she blames herself for Babamukuru hating her. Nyasha says she will work harder to be better and apologizes to Tambu for being rude, repeating that she will miss Tambu.

Tambu is taken to her new school by Babamukuru, Maiguru, and Nyasha, and they stop along the way so Maiguru can purchase Tambu a large supply of foods and a new tumbler. Nyasha and Tambu laugh together, but they are sad to be parting and ending their close friendship. As they arrive on the affluent school grounds, Nyasha makes a joke about it being at the right place, and Babamukuru mindlessly speeds over a bump in the road. Nyasha yelps, and he criticizes her for not being silent like Tambu. Hundreds of other students are also arriving, and Tambu is shown into a small room with six beds. There are more African students than usual, and all of them are grouped together, while the white students have more space, with only four students to a room. The Sigaukes help Tambu settle in and then leave, and Nyasha promises to write to and visit Tambu.

Nyasha does not visit, but she writes with family news, such as Lucia advancing from grade one to grade three. Tambu does not notice Nyasha’s absence, as she is preoccupied with studying and reading as much as she can. Nyasha writes a heartfelt letter about missing Tambu and feeling ostracized, but Tambu’s guilt is brief, and she does not reply to the letter. Nyasha’s letters return to their cheerful tone for a time, then they stop. Babamukuru brings Tambu home for a one-day visit, and she notices Nyasha has lost weight. She returns for another visit, and Nyasha is unhealthily thin. Dinner is tense, and Nyasha drinks two glasses of water and hurries through her food before getting excused and going to the bathroom to vomit. Nyasha stays up studying through the night, and she wakes Tambu to help her answer a question. The next day, Tambu asks Babamukuru if she can stay for a few more days to be with Nyasha, and he accedes. Nyasha’s condition continues to deteriorate; she is weak and she obsessively studies. One night, she wakes Tambu and asks to climb into bed. Tambu moves to let her in, but Nyasha says she just wanted to know if Tambu would let her in. Nyasha then begins vaguely ranting about forced assimilation, saying, “I won’t grovel. Oh no, I won’t. I’m not a good girl. I’m evil. I’m not a good girl” (205). Tambu touches Nyasha to comfort her, but Nyasha flies into a rage, screaming, breaking things, and tearing up books. Her parents run in but do not know what to do. Nyasha calms and says that she does not hate Babamukuru and asks her mother to hold her so she can sleep. The next day, Nyasha says she needs to go someplace safe where she can process what she is experiencing.

They take Nyasha to a white psychiatrist in the city who suggests that she is being dramatic and that African individuals do not authentically experience such events. Babamukuru believes the psychiatrist, but Nyasha’s uncle encourages them to seek another opinion. The second psychiatrist admits Nyasha into a clinic and prescribes her medication. Tambu is taken to the homestead, where her mother argues that Nyasha’s psychiatric condition has been caused by “Englishness.” Ma’Shingayi warns Tambu to be careful, which makes Tambu reflect on past events and question whether she is being careful, and she has nightmares for the first time since she moved away. She returns to Sacred Heart but does not love it as she used to. Tambu narrates that her skepticism continued to develop, but that that is a different story.