Kemoye is a young boy in 1980s Nigeria. He comes from a wealthy family, and he has an older sister named Uzumma. When Kemoye is seven years old, his mother’s brother, JV, comes to live with the family. JV is a fun-loving, hard-partying man who lives off of an allowance from his sister. His behavior causes tension between him and his brother-in-law. Kemoye notices the strain between his father and uncle, but he and Uzumma are happy to have him in their lives. After four years, JV persuades his sister and brother-in-law to pay for him to pursue an MBA at the University of Mississippi. Kemoye’s father is wary about sending the irresponsible man overseas, but he eventually gives him the money. Over the next two decades, the family loses touch with JV. Despite yearly vacations in New York City, they feel they’ve lost their loved one to the American abyss. They hear stories—JV is married, he’s divorced, he’s a professor in Tennessee, he’s an insurance salesman in Georgia, he’s a grocery store manager in Maryland. Tales of JV’s failed American dream conflict with the media’s images of Black American prosperity. This is troubling for Kemoye, who grew up romanticizing America. At thirty years old, Kemoye moves to Texas to work in the oil industry. He finds out that an aging JV is working odd jobs in Washington, DC. He books a ticket to the nation’s capital. There, he is shocked to see that JV is gaunt, impoverished, and alone. The two men spend the day together, and JV explains the truth about American life. Despite his circumstances, JV remains lively. Kemoye sadly wonders why his uncle didn’t keep in touch with him. While walking in the street, a young man approaches JV. The older man deftly beats him in a hand game, and the youth praises his skill. As they walk away, Kemoye reflects on the life JV has made for himself.