Dean and Carlo had been to Central City while Sal was there. When he decides that he is definitely going to San Francisco, Sal sends home for money. He finally has a date with Reta Bettencourt and they have sex. Sal wants to convince her that sex is better than she thinks, but he doesn't. Sal tries to infect her with his excitement for life, but she doesn't get it. This depresses him.
"Boys and girls in America have such a sad time together; sophistication demands that they submit to sex immediately without proper preliminary talk.
Not courting talk- real straight talk about souls, for life is holy and every moment is precious." Part 1, Chapter 10, pg. 58
After he plans to go to San Francisco, Sal stays up all night talking to Roland. They plan to meet in California. Sal leaves and finds Carlo. Sal reads some of his journal and then Carlo reads out loud some of his poetry. Sal spends 25 dollars on a bus ticket to San Francisco and then realizes that he hasn't really talked to Dean for five whole minutes while he was in Denver. He leaves.
