The South Bay South Asian entrepreneurs, technocrats, and engineers that Seema encounters at Divya’s fundraising events, on the other hand, are primarily first-generation immigrants, like her. And like her, ambivalent about the candidate. Many are confounded by Obama’s upset over Clinton, having considered her predestined to be the Democratic nominee on account of her credentials. Many are skeptical that Americans would vote for a Black candidate, many question whether Obama has the necessary experience to govern, many are worried he may not be the best candidate for Silicon Valley, with taxes, immigration, regulations on the line. And many possess only green cards, so while they can make political donations, they can’t vote in the election and are not excessively invested in it.

And while quite a few are willing to be convinced otherwise, even willing to buy into the Obama fantasy, many still possess the immigrant’s reluctance to part with money, especially when there’s no tangible return to be had, when the odds of success hover near fifty-fifty, and political donations are not tax deductible.

Despite all this, Divya has been successful. But she’s set herself ambitious targets for fall, and Seema is lured in deeper. She is better than Divya at reading the facial and vocal cues of their prospects, Divya being second-generation. Also, Seema can affect rapport in Hindi and Urdu and Tamil, she can converse about current events in the Indian subcontinent and reminisce about “those days” with the long-immigrated, and her PR and publicity work with technology firms allows her to participate intelligently in the industry gossip that permeates the fundraising events.

The events—promoted as part technical, part political, and part networking—are held in the mansion of some new convert delighted to offer up his home and contacts as the price of initiation, the catering as in-kind contribution. All this keeps Seema occupied, and if she’s disappointed that winning the election may come down to money, she’s not surprised and is even a little relieved. It supports her hardening perception of Obama as too enmeshed in the existing power structure. Also, she doesn’t need to feel guilty for not joining Bill in Nevada, driving there Friday nights, returning drained late Sunday nights after mindless door-to-door canvassing, since many of the fundraisers she organizes with Divya happen on weekends.

There’s little doubt Divya is attracted to her, as she’d signaled the very day they’d met. Divya makes a game of it, flirting with her as if she believed Seema was straight and unavailable, although she must know—a casual web search would have revealed Seema’s past. Seema plays along, never contradicting Divya while never lying outright either. Divya’s interest in her is flattering, and equalizing, a counterbalance to playing second fiddle to someone a decade younger than her at the events. And playing a straight woman resisting seduction is amusing, even arousing at times.

The arrangement is mutually beneficial. She and Divya have a good working relationship, and their events frequently exceed their targets. Also, Seema’s new intimacy with the who’s who of the South Bay tech world raises her profile at her firm, adding to the success of her budding directorship.