The narrator is surprised to find that his old friend is back at work. He's been away for 30 years, and he's never seen him so happy. He tells the story of how he accidentally returned the key to his brother's office when he was out of town. He says that he has always hoped that his brother would be able to get rid of his friend, but now that he is gone, he is happy to leave him. The narrator tells him that it's better to be gone than to be with someone you don't like. He also tells the narrator that he can contact him if he needs help.