Part 2, Chapter 7 Summary

Singer is never at a loss for company, but he feels the loss of his friend. The holidays are over, and he restlessly walks the town and longs for the days with Spiro.

Oddly, Singer's hands begin to bother him. They often twitch, and sometimes he awakens to find that he is signing in his sleep. He had always been proud of his hands. They are strong and perfectly suited for work at the jeweler's shop. He used to take special care to oil the cuticles and file his nails perfectly, but now he simply scrubs them with a brush and shoves them in his pockets most of the time.

Singer thinks he should visit Spiro, takes a two-day vacation and rides the train to the asylum. He panics when Spiro isn't in his bed, but he calms down when he...