Chapter 8 Summary

Jo Lynne leaves almost as quickly as she had arrived. She comes into the store to briefly say goodbye to David. He wants to write to her and she reacts harshly, accusing him of acting like he has never been out with any girls before. He suggests they get married and she slaps him in the face and storms out of the drugstore. His face is bleeding and he is terribly ashamed of himself.

The other kids from his grade school class were now at state universities, joining fraternities or sororities if they could afford it. David began thinking about his own future, outside of the valley.

He spends most of his time up in the old room where his toy train is. Aunt Mae is home almost every night now, because Clyde has gone to Nashville to see about a radio job...