Summary

At the beginning of Chapter 9, a young Mack walks into the Dairy Queen in Bakerton. The radio is playing, and the newscaster relays details of a possible explosion at a nuclear power plant on Three Mile Island. Mack reaches the counter, where the girl behind the counter smiles in recognition. Mack is the first customer each day, and the girl behind the counter wears a nametag that reads, “How can I help you? Rena” (151). It is not busy this early, so Rena sits at a booth and keeps Mack company while she eats. They went to highschool together, although they did not talk. Rena was two years older and was pregnant for graduation. Mack was younger, stoic, and played basketball.

Mack is not an especially skilled player, but she is strong. Coaches recognized her potential, and she went to Penn State on a...