Chapter Nine Summary

When Lyman arrives home, Edith is delighted and chapter nine begins with Sandy recapping the details of that first dinner and saying the happiness goes on for only six brief years. That night, Lyman sits in the living room and brings out his suitcases. He has souvenirs, mainly for Edith, from many of the places he'd lived and gives Sandy a shoehorn from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Edith continues to point out specific post cards to Lyman, asking him to tell her the stories of what happened there. Then Edith shows Lyman the money he'd sent that she'd saved. With that money, the two have the means to have "a second childhood," though Sandy notes that they didn't' really have a first.

Lyman doesn't return to working the farm, always dresses in slacks and a tie, and anytime either of them has a...