Chapter 3: Twisters and Shouters Summary

Wittman is feeling depressed and unemployed. He walks down Market Street, contemplating selling umbrellas or driftwood, flowers or hot dogs. He flashes on Jack Kerouac's poem about people, including "the hitchhikers, the hustlers, the drunks. . . the twinkling little Chinese" and realizes that he must be the Chinese, even though he is tall. To kill some time, Wittman goes to the movies. He enjoys the spectacle of West Side Story, but thinks that surely the original gangs were black, and wonders why the producers have chosen to create 14 roles for white people.

Wittman boards a bus bound to Oakland, throwing his coat into the seat beside him to discourage company. A very plain Chinese girl boards. She is carrying bags of books and greasy take-out food, and insists on sitting next to Wittman. Wittman can tell the girl...