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President Mugabe
Deo is a boy about Patson’s age who, along with his older brother Innocent, is fleeing Zimbabwe for a better life in South Africa. Patson first meets him at the Beitbridge border crossing, when Deo organizes a soccer game and allows Patson to play. Deo and Innocent end up crossing into South Africa with Patson and Boubacar, taking Mai Maria’s illegal and dangerous route across the Limpopo River and a game reserve. He and Innocent remain at Flying Tomato Farm to work.
Deo Quotes in Diamond Boy
The Diamond Boy quotes below are all either spoken by Deo or refer to Deo. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 22 Quotes
I had lost myself in the rhythm of this beautiful game, shouting encouragement to my new friends, and reveling at how, in this moment at least, I was their equal. I was a normal boy, playing with other normal boys, not worrying about tomorrow or what the days after tomorrow would bring.
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Chapter 28 Quotes
I drove into a tree, Baba. You were right. I lost control of my life, just like that man who found the first diamonds in Marange. [...] Forgive me, Baba, forgive me.
Now is the time for you to be strong, son.
“Come on Patson. I’ll help you.” Innocent’s gentle voice reached through the pain and haze of my confusion.
I felt hands lifting me onto Boubacar’s back and the rhythm of his running return. Deo and Innocent ran on either side of Boubacar, helping him, holding me on his back. I wept at their kindness, at the strength of Boubacar’s will to keep on running, and the voice of my father urging me on.
Be strong, son.
“Leave me, Daddy, leave me,” I whispered.
Boubacar ran on, gripping me more tightly.
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Get the entire Diamond Boy LitChart as a printable PDF.
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Deo Character Timeline in Diamond Boy
The timeline below shows where the character Deo appears in Diamond Boy. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 22
A captain, Deo, chooses Patson and lets him play goalie. At first, Patson struggles, but he feels more...
(full context)
Chapter 26
...Mai Maria explains that they’ll cross the river in the morning and points Patson to Deo, who’s crossing the river tomorrow, too. Deo introduces his brother, Innocent, who asks Patson—not his...
(full context)
Chapter 27
...on two J-shaped prostheses. Thanking Innocent, Patson tucks the picture between Stumpy and his prosthesis. Deo joins the boys at the fire, and they all watch men carrying bamboo poles toward...
(full context)
...Maria tells a man named Lennox to take special care with Patson, Boubacar, Innocent, and Deo, and Patson encourages Innocent—who’s increasingly terrified—that they’ll be okay.
(full context)
Chapter 28
...He feels so ashamed, and he deliriously asks “Daddy” to leave him. But Innocent and Deo help Boubacar keep going. Patson can hear his father’s voice in his head telling him...
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Deo and Innocent fall asleep. Boubacar explains that Commander Jesus will expect to find them in...
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Chapter 30
...who’s picking tomatoes, sad he didn’t get to say a real goodbye to Innocent and Deo.
(full context)
