Chapters 9 and 10 Summary and Analysis

Piri's younger brother Paulie dies during a routine tonsillectomy. The family is moving to a suburb in Long Island calle Babylon. Piri is apprehensive about the move and does not want to leave Harlem but his parents feel there will be more opportunities and better schools in Babylon. He tries out for the baseball team and makes a home run, earning him applause from those watching. He acts as though he does not hear it and that it does not matter. One day, he goes into the school gym where music is being played. He asks a girl name Marcia to dance and she turns him down, citing her jealous boyfriend. As Piri is just outside the doorway, he hears Marcia and her friends talking about him. Marcia says she could not believe Piri had the nerve to ask...