Chapter 2 Summary

It is the beginning of August 2000. Tom's friend, a physicist by the name of Colin Glass, joins them for dinner one night, and during the evening he tries to explain the theory of relativity to Reta. She had always wanted to understand this theory, but the explanation eludes her once again. She thinks about her love of long August evenings, the good company, the wonderful food. Then her thoughts turn once again to Norah sitting on a pavement with that sign GOODNESS in front of her. Suddenly, Reta loses all track of the conversation.

Instead of concentrating on Colin's continuing attempts to explain Einstein's theory, her mind wanders to such inane subjects as the possibility of her guest's coffee sloshing out of its cup and the reasons why she is now using cloth napkins. She thinks of her friend, Danielle Westerman, and Pet...