Summary

In his cell, Tom writes a letter to his parents-in-law, apologizing for attempting to steal from them. He then writes a letter to his brother, Charlie, promising to “be a better brother to you” (248). A drunk man enters the cell; Tom discusses his choice to release himself from wants and desires. The drunk man, Dr. Clark, is a former professor who violated a restraining order against his wife. Tom tells Dr. Clark that “it feels good to stop blaming other people for the shitty hand I got dealt” (254).

Tom falls ill and spends several dream-like days in the cell. An officer drives Tom to court; she tells Tom that he should “go right to bed” (258) after seeing the judge. They discuss family life, and Tom admits that he was not always a good father. As they reach the court, Tom loses consciousness. When...