Summary

Thomas attends a live broadcasted audition to be Captain Nineteen, interacting with children. He retrieves a homemade bomb from his car and conceals it in his briefcase. In the middle of the storytelling segment, Thomas becomes lost in his own thoughts and overwhelmed with emotions for Lourna Sue. In a complete emotional breakdown he tells the children Lorna Sue was sacred to him. He pulls out the bomb, begs Lorna Sue to take him back and threatens suicide.

Thomas spends some time in the Owago Community Hospital. At this time, Thomas has decided to refrain from speaking to anyone, including the doctors. He attends therapy sessions with a psychiatrist and communicates only by exchanging written notes back and forth on a notepad. Thomas claims his breakdown at the audition was nothing more than “Theatrics” (270). Earleen and Zylstra come to see him at the hospital...