Summary

Chapter 21 is told with a focus on Brian. Nora asked Brian to pick up some extra ice on the way home from the visitation. Brian got the ice but could not bring himself to stop at his parents’ house. Instead, he drove to the baseball field where he once played in high school. He wondered if he should take the coach up on his offer to pass the coaching job along to him.

When Brian finally went home the house was full of people. He felt like he needed a drink even though he’d had seven beers at the bar before the wake. There were times when Brian wondered if he was an alcoholic and if should do something about it. Knowing Patrick had died because he was drunk, Brian wondered if there was something “shameful” (306) with what he did...