Chapters 69-77 Summary

John, along with the Crosbys, arrives at the newly opened Casa Mona hotel. An artist, a white man, is creating a mosaic of Mona Aamons Monzano's face in the lobby. Talking with the man, John learns that he is Philip Castle, the author of an unpublished manuscript, a history of San Lorenzo. Philip asks if John is a drug salesman, since that is what the people of San Lorenzo really need. When John protests that he is a writer, Philip asks, "What makes you think a writer isn't a drug salesman?"

John learns that Mona and Philip were childhood sweethearts. They were both tutored by the holy man, Bokonon. Mr. Crosby is irate that the artist does not act servile towards him. He angrily reports the man to the front desk clerk and demands that he be fired. The desk clerk...