Act 3, Chapter 17 Summary

Mexican radio and the overgrown dashboard shrine to the Virgin amuse Vernon as he rolls south with Pelayo, Lucas, and the spirit of Jesus Navarro. Deep in the guts of Mexico, greenery blends with Vernon's hangover to make him dream of home and Taylor. He cannot, however, escape devastating thoughts about the dead. Mexico City and the route south are dangerous places to drive, and Vernon is perpetually on edge. He tries to concentrate on Taylor-"Sailing"-Beach, but it gets harder, and he is devastated. They stop in a town Vernon figures must have a fly farm. It looks ominously like the TV movies, with Muzak and rats.

When Acapulco appears on Saturday, it is organized like Martirio, improving in sights and smells from the outskirts to the center, which wraps around a huge round bay. Vernon picks the biggest...