Structure

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Beginning

The exposition of the short story introduces the most important characters, the Cooks and the Mbulus:

Richard Cook eased his silver Mercedes into the driveway, the wrought iron gates closing silently behind him. Seeing a tall African man pacing on the stoep balling and unballing his fists gave him a start. His wife, Jennifer, directed his attention to the woman and child si…

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Middle

When Jonas Mbulu explains why he and his family have trespassed, the readers feel rising tension, as they do not know what Richard’s reaction will be. However, the tension breaks when Richard agrees to read Jonas’s references, mostly because he is moved by the Mbulus' daughter: “It was the little girl (…) that decided him” (ll. 41-43). Here, the author also mentions Richard Cook’s past conflict with his former gardener.

In the rising action, we find out that the Mbulus have started working for the Cooks, with Lucky “bustling about a spotless ho…

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Ending

The final lines of the story present the events eight weeks after the Mbulus have moved to their new home. When the Cooks park their car in the driveway, they notice the Mbulus taking shelter in their garden. Here, the fact that the Mbulus are wrapped in blankets smelling of smoke foreshadows that their new hous…