Summary

In Chapter 1, Gwendy Peterson has just finished running up the Suicide Stairs to Castle View Recreational Park, a practice she has started because boys in her class began calling her names because she was overweight, when a man calls her over to the bench where he is sitting. The narrator notes that Gwendy will one day have nightmares about the black hat he wears. Even though she is not supposed to talk to strangers, he entices her to join him with his smile. He tells her that his name is Richard Farris and that he has been watching her. He even gets her to admit she is exercising because Frankie Stone called her Goodyear, like the blimp. Farris tells her that he admires her decision to do something about her weight problem instead of just complaining.

When Gwendy tries to leave Farris, his smile...