Chapter 9 Summary

"The Third Lesson." Ruby and Eddie discuss his troubled relationship with his father, and she points out that although the last thing he said to Eddie, to get up and get a job, was hurtful, Eddie did pick himself up. His father had, in fact, been helpful.

Now Ruby takes Eddie back to his parents' kitchen, and he witnesses a scene with his mother and Mickey Shea. Mickey tries to assault Eddie's mother, and his father comes home. With a hammer in his hand, he chases Mickey out of the house. Then Eddie sees Mickey at the pier, rolling himself off and into the water. He sees his father, hammer in hand, looking for his friend, who is bobbing in the water. Eddie's father gets out of his belt and manages to get one shoe off before he plunges in the water to...