Summary

The next day, Perdu went to his letterbox to find a letter from Catherine. She addressed him as J. and told him to come over for dinner that evening. He would read the letter, she said, or she would not give it to him.

After reading the note, Perdu made his way through the neighborhood, contemplating the life stories of all of the neighbors who lived there. He had learned a lot through listening over the years. He stopped at a wine store, where he met his father. They talked about his mother and about women. It saddened Perdu that his parent’s divorce continued despite their unending care for one another.

In Chapter 10, Perdu arrived at Catherine’s apartment for his first date in 21 years. Although the two had only just met, they spoke like old friends. Catherine told him about how...