Dying in a strange country is a collection of stories, setin the
Pakistani community in North America, and are linked through
Zenab, ahousewife from
Connecticut,and her extended family.
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They deal with routine topics among Pakistani communitiesall over America such as finding halal meat, men having to perform householdchores, a young woman meeting a potential match in Lahore, troubles of ahousehold employee in Lahore, a grandmother's visit to America (Amreeka as itis called by the characters.) etc.$0$0$0$0Most of the stories are told in a lighter vein, and some ofthem call out for a more humorous treatment of the subject matter.$0$0$0$0$0All through the narratives, you feel as if you are watchingpeople moving about in a public place, you can witness their every move, theirevery action to the smallest possible detail, you can guess their thoughts andfeelings, but can never feel close to them. You are somehow not
connected tothem.$0$0$0$0$0The title story, 'Dying in a strange country' portrays anold lady, Sakima Bano, visiting her son in
USA for the very first time. Heroverwhelming concern of dying abroad is the idea.$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0How could she bring herself to tell him she wished she wouldbe as fortunate as her husband? That she longed to be buried like him in thecemetery where earth had lost color. Her father was also there and her mother,her uncles and also her grandparents. There, she would not be alone.$0$0