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1-Page Summary of Dreamers

Overall Summary

Jende Jonga, a native of Cameroon, is offered a job as a chauffeur with the investment bank Lehman Brothers. He accepts and earns thirty-five thousand dollars per year—far more than he earned when working as a dishwasher or driving livery cabs in the Bronx during his first couple of years in New York City. Jonga has been living in the United States since 2004, when he obtained three-month visitor’s visa from the U.S. embassy in his native country after saving up enough money to bring over his girlfriend Neni on student visa along with their son Liomi who was born that same year (2006). The two got married later that year (2006)

Jende and Neni are grateful to be in America, where they feel that they have a future. They’re also thankful for their attorney Bubakar’s help with the asylum process. Although Jende knows his story is far-fetched, he follows Bubakar’s advice on what to say during the hearing and feels confident about getting approved for asylum.

Neni is a home health aide to the elderly and also studies chemistry at community college. She hopes to become a pharmacist one day. Jende has an assignment with Clark, who asks him to sign a confidentiality agreement so that he won’t reveal what he overhears while driving him around town.

Jende’s daily routine usually involves driving Clark to work, taking his youngest son Mighty to school and extracurricular activities with a nanny, and also dropping Cindy off at beauty appointments. While chauffeuring the Edwards family around Manhattan, Jende learns details of their lives. He finds out that Clark is overworked and wants to avert a looming crisis at Lehman Brothers. He also finds out how desperate Cindy is for her family’s happiness and togetherness, as well as maintaining her place within high society in New York City.

Neni forms her relationship with the Edwardses and becomes a witness to their secrets. She finds out about Cindy’s drinking problem when she sees her passed out in the guest bedroom after one day working for them. The next day, Cindy tells Neni that she comes from a poor family and feels compelled to fight hard to keep what she has. In exchange for keeping quiet about something, Cindy gives Neni some of Mighty’s old clothes and toys as well as some of her own old clothes for Liomi.

Later that night, Neni hears an argument between Clark and Cindy. They’re frustrated with Vince’s plans to quit law school. After Clark leaves the house, Cindy cries in the kitchen alone. Neni comes out of her room and comforts her by letting her know she was a product of rape and grew up being resented by her mother.

Meanwhile, Clark becomes increasingly stressed about his work. Jende notices that despite the time of day, Clark spends much of his time on the phone angrily shouting orders to someone. These moments are punctuated only by the three hours of sleep that he gets per night and hour-long appointments at a Chelsea Hotel some evenings. Anna becomes concerned about Cindy’s drug and alcohol abuse, particularly how it may affect Anna’s job security. She relates this concern to Neni while they’re catering a Sunday brunch at their Upper East Side Manhattan apartment. Neni admits that she noticed Cindy’s drug and alcohol abuse in the Hamptons. With this confirmation that she is not “crazy,” Anna insists they confront Clark about Cindy’s problem with drugs and alcohol as soon as possible. Neni agrees to talk to him but then backs out because she fears what Jende will think if he finds out that she meddled in family affairs.

After that, Neni and Jende have a farewell dinner for Vince. It’s an evening of happiness and laughter because he has been gone so long. He leaves the party against his will, dreading what awaits him at home.