Summary

David’s paternal grandfather, nicknamed Cramps, comes over for dinner one evening. He is a math professor and suffers from muscular dystrophy. Cramps is originally from Germany and he came to America to escape Hitler. He is extremely thrifty, and he constantly urges David to study harder in school. Cramps warns David that if he does not pass the entrance exam, he will be doomed to poverty. David’s father helps him study. David’s worst section on the test is reading, so David’s father tells him to read more in general. David becomes very stressed in his daily life. His stress compels him to chew his nails and it also sometimes causes his penis to become erect. One day, David’s mother takes David and Marlon to the aquarium to help them relax. Marlon talks about how fascinating he finds the ocean...