Chapter 21: The Steel Casket Summary and Analysis

In 1958, Seattle is boring Slim. His new stepfather dies, leaving Mama alone again. Slim is almost 40 and has gained almost 50 pounds since quitting drugs. He is slowing down, spending more time reading in bed than pimping. To satisfy his new lazy lifestyle, he has his girls work in a house. He only gets 50%, but the money comes in a check in the mail every Monday. While visiting one of his whores at a house in Montana, two policemen visit his hotel room. They book him for having a girl in his room he is not married to.

They get out within 2 hours, but Slim is still wanted for his escape from the workforce jail. He runs to Pennsylvania, but the police find him and prosecute him for the escape charge. He lies and says a...