As it turns out, Mo is a nonpracticing Muslim American architect. He is almost 40 and has long delayed marriage and family to establish a successful career. Rumors at his architectural firm strongly suggest that Mo will become the next project director—that Roi, the owner of the firm, is finally promoting him. But when Mo is called in to talk to the boss, his hopes are dashed. His best friend Thomas Kroll is being promoted instead. Immediately, Mo wonders if he was passed over for the promotion due to his Muslim heritage, but there doesn’t seem to be any evidence either way.

On the subway home, a group of young black men create mischief by throwing condoms at the passengers. An older black man jumps up and demands that they stop. Mo is convinced the older man got involved because he resented that the boys’ behavior reflected poorly on him, and the moment sticks in Mo’s mind after he arrives home, where his girlfriend Yuki suggests the man may have just wanted to be a good citizen.

Mo and Yuki watch a TV debate between a Muslin man named Issam Malik and New York’s most popular ultra-right-wing personality, Lou Sarge, about whether Muslims should be searched at airports.