Character Analysis
Hoppie takes Peekay to a shop owned by an Indian family. It's the first time that Peekay's ever come across Indians, and thinks that the woman is beautiful with her long hair and the red dot on her forehead.
Hoppie tells Peekay that he doesn't have to be so respectful to the Patels because they are Indian and therefore not as good as white people. They serve as another unfortunate lesson in racism for Peekay.