Pp. 133-154 Summary

In "close to greatness" the author discusses meeting both a man and a woman who claim to have been acquainted with Ezra Pound. The woman even claims to have made love to him. The man claims the woman is lying. The author believes that—were Pound alive—he would not remember either of them. A great dead man is fair game for everyone.

Chinaski, in "the stride," recalls being 19 with his friend Norman. They stride cockily down the street and think themselves invincible. Norman dies in the War, and Chinaski thinks he would be disappointed to see how things turned out.

In "final story" the author describes an old babbling writer in a bar, possibly himself. The other patrons listen to him condescendingly, knowing one day he will commit suicide. Living with other people, it seems, is the awful...