The chapter opens with a conversation between Tommo and Tommo's father. Tommo tells his father that he's not going to talk to him anymore. He says that he can't go on living like this forever, because he has a life ahead of him. He tells Tommo that his dream of being a writer is still alive, but that he doesn't have the energy to continue writing. He asks Tommo if he'd like to hold onto his dream for him if it hurts him too much to let him do it for someone else.