Part III, Ladder to the Light, A Series of Hinged Turning Points, Chapter 7, Fire and Ice Summary and Analysis

Chapter 7 opens with the story of Williams entering an apartment building as a white woman when two children storm out because there are "bums" in the lobby. The bum turns out to be simply an elderly black woman smoking a cigarette. When Williams informs the women of that, the woman complains about being mugged and shot at. She rushes away. Williams laments the "bum situation," where nothing is free in the city and everything must be bought. With so many people lacking anything, she argues that they are forced into bad situations. A year later, Williams notices that the complex has a security officer that Williams knows does not do any...