Summary

Chapter 5.2 is blank, as this Ferguson is deceased

Chapter 5.3 returns to the third timeline. It is 1965, and Ferguson is living in Paris. He is reading books assigned to him by Gil, and he is visiting Vivian Schreiber almost every day for tutoring sessions. He has been excluded from the military draft due to his bisexuality. He lives rent-free in an apartment owned by Vivian. In his spare time, he works on writing a memoir entitled How Laurel and Hardy Saved My Life. Many evenings and weekends, Vivian acts as Ferguson’s guide around the city, introducing him to friends, museums, restaurants, etc. Ferguson’s memoir focuses on his own life, his interest in Laurel and Hardy, and some biographical and academic discussions of Laurel and Hardy.

He gives the first draft of his memoir to Vivian, who reads it and suggests generally minor...