Summary

In Chapter 31, Jake learned from Harry that Maine had become part of Canada. Even though their electricity was supposed to work three days a week, it had been cut off for no reason. Harry lit his house with kerosene lamps. Jake explained he had a head injury and his memory was bad. Jake asked if he remembered the small earthquakes they had fairly regularly and that four of the Japanese islands were gone because of earthquakes. Because of an earthquake, a nuclear reactor blew up in Vermont, causing cases of cancer. Harry’s wife had died as a result. Harry was paralyzed in what he called “the Great Saigon Fuck-All of 1967” (1045).

Harry went on to tell Jake that Kennedy had been re-elected for a second term. It was so horrifying that Harry did not even repeat...