On Such A Full Sea

Vik takes Fan out shopping with him to look for a housewarming present for a friend of his. They visit many shops, looking at housewares, drinks, bath and kitchen supplies, gadgets and more. Fan is struck by how the Charters seem to have a device for every aspect of their lives, no matter how small. Vik looks at a machine that pulls out wine corks that have been pushed into bottles and a pillow with programmable functions controlling its firmness and temperature. Finally, Vik finds something at a former pet store, but he will not tell Fan what it is, preferring it remain a surprise for everyone, including her.

Upendra and Fan go to the fitness center and do some swimming, The doctor shows he has remarkable ease and skill in the water. He tells Fan that he was going to try to become a global champion when he was younger, but gave up swimming professionally to focus on his medical career. They spend some time playing a virtual reality snowboarding game, and once they’re showered and dried off, they stop to have smoothies. Vik informs Fan that he has to go out and she will be alone for the rest of the afternoon.

Fan watches Upendra drive away, and then tries the front door, almost expecting it to be locked, but it’s not. Realizing she’s free to go where she pleases, she prepares to leave. She thinks of Mala, whom Fan got to speak to recently, as she wanted to check on the status of the girls. To her surprise, Mala reports that the girls will now occupy the whole house, no longer being kept as pets, although the transition is proving difficult for them. Also, Mala’s family will be moving to the house so they can be with her. Mala tells Fan where to find her old house out in the open counties.

Fan is surprised when Vik comes back home. He tells Fan that he would like to take her somewhere fun, out in the open counties. He drives her out to a former rest area, where he pays a large sum of money to some armed guards and is allowed entrance into what appears to be a small tent city. It turns out to be the “Seneca Circus,” which is a weekly Saturday market where a variety of foods and trinkets are sold. Fan notes that the items sold here by the counties people are much more extravagant and impressive than the goods sold in B-Mor. The food tents are all based on handmade items, prepared by an “authentically ordinary person” (314). They have some noodles and a platter of sea cucumber at Vik’s favorite restaurant. The proprietor seems to know him, and they banter about the meal, with the woman who runs the stand cryptically saying, “I like her. Good appetite […] Better than other one” (315).

Fan thinks that the woman must mean the food, but in fact the woman seems to be talking about Fan in relation to Vik, who may have had a fight with his girlfriend, and thus is spending time with Fan instead. The two share some wild berry pie and talk about how little the doctor worries about typical Charter concerns such as toxins in the food or too much sunlight. He says perhaps it’s because he’s a doctor and might be treated first, but Vik replies that’s no longer the case, and perhaps he doesn’t even believe in the mythical ideal of being “C-free” anymore. They are both without worry as they enjoy their pie together.