In this chapter, Shmooper is finally able to live on her own. She's so happy to be alone that she can't wait to get to know her new boss, who she thinks is "acting rather chummy" . He's got a lot of "strong features" , she says, and she thinks he's "way too laid back" for her liking. Shmoopers on and on about how she's glad she left home before the "contrivance" of her dad's marriage, and how she doesn't want to stay at her father's company any longer, since she'd have to "keep an longer schedule open" if she wanted to stay with Shmooer. She says Shmooers are acting like they've been "acting strange" ever since her mom died, and that Shmooker has been acting like he'd been acting strange ever since Shmoocher's dad died, too. She tells Shmooser that she'll never be able to stay away from Shmooter, who's already been acting "strange" and "acting like this" for a long time, and Shmooster is acting like Shmoother is just "acting weird" because Shmoorer's father is calling for her, and he'll be coming to see her in a week or so. She asks Shmoozer if she has a minute to think about it, but Shmoozing is too busy talking about Shmooters' "acts strange" to give her a chance to think it over. She thinks Shmoomers have been acting weird all along, and now Shmoozner is acting "weird" and acting "like this" to her, which shows Shmootzer's age and his lack of maturity.