How It All Goes Down
- Dolores receives a massive seven-page letter from her future college roommate, Kippy (which today would be condensed into one text: OMG C U SOON).
- Dolores still doesn't want to go to school: "I just can't do it. I'm too fat. I'm too afraid" (2.9.3).
- Ma is sick of fighting with her. "Goddammit, Dolores. […] You've made me so goddamned tired" (2.9.19), she says, and she leaves for her night shift at the tollbooth.
- She doesn't come back. A cop comes to the door and tells them that a truck driver fell asleep, crashed into the tollbooth, and killed her. Dang.
- Dolores is in shock; Grandma prepares the funeral arrangements. Mr. Pucci, the guidance counselor, and Robert try to console Dolores. Even Dolores's old friend Jeanette comes to the viewing.
- When Dolores's dad arrives, she just yells and screams at him to go away despite his best efforts to calm her down.
- Dolores skips the funeral and stays home, continuing her pattern of self-destruction by eating an entire lemon pie and burning her palm, intentionally, with her flatiron.
- She decides to respond to Kippy's letter with a letter of her own… a letter… of lies.