Summary

In Chapter 8 Clyde and Dillard attend a social at the Diggby Avenue Congregational Church. Dillard seizes every opportunity to flaunt Clyde’s family ties. While there, Clyde meets Willard’s associates, Zella Shuman and Rita Dickerman. Later at Zella’s home, Rita and Clyde get closer, apparently feeling some mutual chemistry. In the next chapter, Clyde walks Rita home the next morning. Later, Clyde is pleased to finally receive a dinner invitation from his New York family and quickly loses interest in his former association with Dillard and Rita, even rejecting an invitation by the former to go away for the weekend with the girls. In speaking with the members of his family, Clyde strives to make a good impression.

In Chapter 10 stories of Clyde’s poor upbringing make him very uneasy at the Griffiths’ dinner table, especially when Bella arrives with her...