Chapter 14, The Long Goodbye Summary and Analysis

The chapter opens with an executive at Northrop Aircraft Company offering Ben a job. The job would give Ben a significant raise. He felt bad about bringing it up to Kelly, who he felt loyal to due to their long association.

Kelly had taken Ben under his wing over the last six years and trained him as his successor. Ben realized, though, that Kelly's stubbornness often cost the Skunk Works good jobs, such as building fighters. Nonetheless, Kelly and Ben were close, particularly after Kelly's wife Althea died. He remarried his secretary, MaryEllen, a few months after her death on her recommendation, but she died within a few years of diabetes. Oddly, MaryEllen advised Kelly to marry her friend Nancy, which he did.

Ben finally gets up the courage to mention the offer to Kelly...