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I Know This Much is True Chapter 16 Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • It's the summer of '69 and Thomas and Dominick are home from school for the summer.
  • To stay busy, they start working for the Public Works Department, mowing town cemeteries.
  • They work for Dell Weeks alongside Leo and Ralph Drinkwater.
  • Most of the time they all (except Thomas) get stoned and goof off.
  • Meanwhile, at home, the poo hits the fan when Thomas's report card comes and Ray sees how badly he's doing at school.
  • Ray loses it, throwing pickle jars around the kitchen, leaving the floor littered with glass.
  • Dominick runs away and dives into the lake, putting his head underwater as long as he can.
  • When he comes home, Ma is by herself in the kitchen. She tries to comfort Dominick, but he doesn't care—he hates Ray; Ray isn't his real father.
  • He asks Ma who his real dad is, but she still won't tell him.