Summary

Russo’s friends christened his first car, a 1967 Ford Galaxie, the Gray Death. It had only a V-6 engine and was badly underpowered, especially for interstate driving. Russo and his mother planned to drive this car, pulling a U-Haul trailer, from Gloversville in New York State to Arizona. When Jean finally told her parents she planned to go to Arizona with Russo, they discouraged her, telling her they were not able to come rescue her as they had in the past. They could not afford the trip because her father was suffering with emphysema and could no longer work. Jean’s father warned Jean their trip was underfunded and perhaps even dangerous. They fought as much as his emphysema and need for oxygen would allow. The house had once been a place of refuge for Russo but was suddenly full of fighting...