- Jack heads to California to be with his father, who bolts for Las Vegas the day after he arrives. Jack gets the keys to the car and a charge account at the local grocery store.
- Jack's dad asks a friend to look after Jack. Apparently, "look after" means "fondle Jack while he thinks Jack is asleep."
- Jack kicks the man out and tells his father. Dad tells him where he keeps a rifle in the house and tells Jack to "shoot the bastard" if he ever comes back.
- He comes back, crying outside the door while Jack waits in the dark with the rifle.
- Dad comes home and Geoffrey arrives a few days later. Dad doesn't show up to greet Geoffrey. Turns out, he's been arrested and committed to a mental institution.
- Geoffrey gets a job to pay the bills. Jack "runs wild" and raises hell.
- Jack heads to Hill and his mom gets a job in Washington, DC to be with him. One day, Dwight tracks her down and tries to choke her to death.
- Right before she passes out, she kicks Dwight in the balls. He snatches her purse and runs for it.
- Fat chance. Dwight gets arrested, mom gets a cease-and-desist order, and Wicked Stepdad finally gets removed from the proceedings for good.
- Jack struggles at Hill, though his English teacher recognizes his love of books and tries to encourage it.
- He makes it until his senior year before he's finally kicked out. His mom isn't mad. She's actually surprised he lasted as long as he did.
- Jack vents for a bit, then joins the army… just in time for Vietnam!
- In the last few paragraphs, Jack relates the drive home to Chinook from Seattle. He and Chuck sing songs and he dreams of a great life that he thinks is just around the corner. Kind of depressing considering where he's headed.