Chapter 1 Summary

Zoyd Wheeler wakes up late on a summer morning in 1984. He slowly eats a breakfast of Froot Loops with Nestle Quik sprinkled over them and reads a note from his daughter, Prairie, that tells him the local television channel called earlier while he was asleep.

Zoyd is the recipient of a monthly check from the federal government for mental health benefits. As a condition of his benefits, he must do something publicly "crazy" once a year in order to maintain his status. For several years, Zoyd has chosen to smash through the large window of a local business as his public display. Today is the scheduled day, and he returns the call to the local television station to dictate his press release.

He is surprised to learn from the TV station that the news media has all been told that Zoyd's display is...