Summary

Brazzaville Teen-ager opens with a third person narrator that describes a young man named Gunther. Gunther is sitting at his father's deathbed. The story is set in Manhattan, and the introduction takes place in a hospital. The narrator notes that he expected the event to play out differently it has. He expected Gunther's father to confess to his secrets, such as his philosophy, his sexual history, and how much money he really has. Gunther's father is held up by netting and a series of harnesses. Two week earlier, his father's body collapsed into itself, causing pinched nerves. For this reason, Gunther's father's body has to be stretched out indefinitely.

As Gunther leans over his father's bed, he asks him how he feels. His father replies that "it's no picnic," and he thinks his young caretakers don't know what they are doing. Gunther...