A hitchhiking sailor passes by as Kerouac stands in the hot sun waiting for a ride. An interested face pulls up in a car, offering the author a ride. The driver is "some kind of secret fag, which means goodhearted" and Kerouac accepts. The author speaks up for the sailor who also needs a ride and the three men drive to Seattle. The talk of the navy bores Kerouac who takes the time to rest. The sailor gets dropped off, and then Kerouac asks to be let out at Washington University, feigning interest but really wanting to check out the scene. The scene confuses the author, who feels as if everyone is speaking Chinese. A bus takes Kerouac into downtown Seattle where.....