Section 5 and Section 6 Summary and Analysis

Section 5 begins on page 27 with the words, "the summers are longer where the suicides hand and the files eat mud pie." Bukowski finds himself sitting with Jack Kerouac on the bank of the canal in Venice. Kerouac speak out against homosexuality as they talk, and Bukowski explains that too many people are afraid of being homosexual. He also notes, on the other hand, that too many intellectuals are afraid to speak out against homosexuals, and against the left wing. He admires Kerouac for admitting his emotions. The two men go to "Bird's" house, where Bird and his wife, both beautiful, are drinking. Bukowski realizes Kerouac is happy to see him beginning to heal inside, as he is tired of carrying Bukowski's soul. He admits he is the weakest of the four in the room, and sees they...