55 pages 1 hour read

Lauren Beukes

Zoo City

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2010

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Chapters 21-24 Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 21 Summary

Zinzi dials the phone number that Vuyo gave her and learns that Songweza’s last call was to a taxi company. Song asked to be picked up at Counter Rev, and the driver waited for 20 minutes because she never showed up. Zinzi heads to Counter Rev, where she chats up the bouncer, Ronaldo, who gives her the idea to pretend she’s a new hire. The manager, Joey, tells her she’s too old to work there, even if Odi sent her himself.

At the Great-Gatsby-meets-Lady-Gaga bar, Zinzi talks to the bartender, Michael, and drinks a gin and tonic despite Sloth’s attempts to knock it off the counter. She asks Michael for the name of the club bouncer who was friendly with Song, and Michael says it was Ronaldo. Ronaldo once protected Song when someone tried to drug her drink. Zinzi also spots a drug dealer, who comes over to her at the bar to offer his wares. Zinzi turns him down—for now.

Gio meets Zinzi there, and she asks him to create a scene outside in front of Ronaldo. In front of the bouncer, Zinzi shoves Gio and tells him to leave her alone. Ronaldo twists Gio’s wrist and sends him away; Gio leaves, furious with Zinzi.