Dumell

Dumell is a classmate of Julian Spitzer and a former Army auto mechanic whose life connects the university classroom with Margo Fairchild’s emerging romantic story. In brief appearances, he is shown as socially direct and attentive: he asks Julian about a message on his phone, shares what military service was actually like for him, and later sends Margo a note of encouragement before her public talk. His conversations and relationships give the novel a portrait of connection built less on performance than on listening and kindness.

Identity and Background

Dumell is one of two Black men in Julian’s class; the narration identifies him as African-American, distinguishing him from the other student, who is Nigerian. The text also establishes that he served in Iraq and worked as an auto mechanic during his tour. Rather than describing himself as a combat soldier, he explains that most of his service consisted of the routine work of a mechanic.

After returning, Dumell performs similar work at Warren Reddy Subaru in Elmville. The continuity between his military and civilian jobs gives his account an unsensational quality: oil changes, brake pads, spark plugs, and tire rotations were familiar tasks on both sides of his return home.

Encounters with Julian Spitzer

When Julian’s phone chimes during class, Dumell elbows him and asks whether the message is from his girlfriend. Julian answers that it is from one of them. The exchange establishes Dumell as relaxed and teasing, while also placing him in a classroom social world where Julian’s romantic life is treated as casual conversation.

Later, as Julian starts texting during their interaction, Dumell asks whether he is texting or listening. Julian puts down his phone and turns his attention back to him. Dumell then talks about Iraq, a subject Julian rarely gets to hear about from someone who was actually there. The moment hinges on a small act of attention: Dumell makes clear that a real conversation requires more than sharing the same space, and Julian responds by listening.

Dumell describes most of his tour as boring because his work was mechanical rather than combat-oriented. But he also recounts occasional trips in a tow truck to retrieve vehicles disabled by an IED or RPG. On those drives through the desert, exposed and unsure whether the next pothole might signal an explosion, the danger became immediate. His account complicates any simple distinction between routine service and combat: even a mechanic’s ordinary assignment could bring him into acute danger.

Relationship with Margo Fairchild

Dumell and Margo have been on two dates, which Margo regards as the best dates of her life. They have talked about Iraq, basketball, their families, and antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication; she reflects that their time together feels strangely normal despite the ways they seem an unlikely couple. They have kissed, but have not yet slept together. Margo anticipates that intimacy may follow, while recognizing that either of them could lose their nerve.

Before Margo gives a talk at the Senior Center, she has been sitting in her Honda Fit in the parking lot, listening to “Shake It Off” on repeat and delaying her entrance. A message from Dumell arrives: “You go, girl!” Margo smiles at the encouragement. She thinks of him as kind, gentle, fragile, and handsome, and admits that his importance to her makes her a little afraid of spoiling things. His text does not resolve that uncertainty; it gives her a warm point of connection as she gathers herself to speak.

Narrative Role

Dumell’s appearances are compact, but they link otherwise distinct strands of the story. His conversation with Julian offers a firsthand account of military service that moves from routine garage work to the risks of recovering damaged vehicles. His developing relationship with Margo, meanwhile, is presented through the subjects they share, their tentative physical closeness, and a short message sent at a vulnerable moment. Across both connections, Dumell is characterized by directness and care: he notices when Julian is distracted, and he reaches out to encourage Margo.