Phase 2, Parts 27 and 28 Summary

The narrative takes a detour at this moment and describes in significant, somewhat bizarre detail, Bernard Mickey Wrangler's life and beliefs. It describes his greatest crime, the bombing of the science building at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, a crime committed at a time when his hair was still red and he was publicly known as the Woodpecker, the head of the Woodpecker Gang (see "Quotes", p. 57). At the time of the bombing, the Woodpecker believes the science building is housing experiments to improve weaponry for the US Army fighting in Vietnam. The bombing maims a PhD student attempting to create a male contraceptive who, after the bombing, is unable to continue his work. Guilt over this consequence of his actions leads the Woodpecker to retire from bombing and instead devote time and energy to discovering what the...