Summary

Mickey Spellacy, one of Frank’s school friends, gets one week off from school to grieve each of his brothers and sisters who die of consumption. Frank envies Mickey because he gets time off from school, along with money and sympathy. Mickey’s sister, Brenda, is ill with the consumption in August, and Mickey asks Frank and Billy Campbell to pray that Brenda won’t die until September, so Mickey can get time off from school. Mickey promises the boys that if they pray, he will invite them to Brenda’s wake, where there will be food. Brenda dies during the school year, but when the boys show up for the wake, Mickey’s mother slams the door in their faces. Frank feels vindicated the following year, however, when Mickey dies of consumption and doesn’t get a week off from school.

Frank begins helping...