Summary

Chapter 11. Frank puts together a soccer team that includes his friends and Malachy Jr. While looking through an old trunk for his mother’s red dress, which he intends to cut up and use to decorate the team uniforms, he discovers old papers including his parents’ marriage certificate. It’s here he learns he was born just six months after they were married. He asks his friend Mikey Molloy what it means, and Mikey tells him he was a bastard. Bastards spend eternity in Limbo, according to the church, and Frank is worried about his fate.

When the soccer team beats a group of wealthy boys and Frank makes the winning goal, he decided his soul, after all, will be saved.

Frank takes on a new job delivering coal to an ill neighbor, Mr. Hannon. Mr. Hannon becomes another father figure to Frank, treating him...