Peekay’s Granpa meets him at the station and brings Peekay home where he learns that his mother has found Jesus and sent his Nanny away when she refused to convert. Resentful, Peekay insults God and runs into the hills behind their house where he sits on a large rock, gazing sadly into the distance.

A very tall, thin man with white hair and a camera comes upon Peekay and introduces himself as Professor von Vollenstein. Speaking with an unusual German accent and using made up words like “absoloodle,” the professor instructs Peekay to call him Doc. He tells Peekay that he took his picture and asks for permission to give it a title. Peekay notices that he has a cactus in his bag. Doc eagerly talks about the different plants in South Africa and explains that he is an amateur scientist who catalogues and collects different plants. They become friends.

Doc approaches Peekay’s mother and offers to give Peekay piano lessons in exchange for his help roaming the hills and collecting plant samples for study. Peekay learns that Doc is German and a well-known concert pianist. Doc becomes Peekay’s tutor, teaching him about science, logic, and reason while giving him music lessons.