Summary

In "Kokoro", Will and his mother begin reading old collections of short stories from the New Yorker. News is filled with the financial collapse of 2008. Will is still building his cooking website, and is growing increasingly concerned about the site's future. Though her appetite has dropped sharply, Will's mom still has plans for Thanksgiving. She still worries about David and prays for his return by Christmas. Will recalls a quote from the book "Kokoro", which states that loneliness is the price paid for being alive in the modern world. He asks his mom if she was every lonely. She says no, but mentions David, who must be lonely in his captivity.

In "The Price of Salt", Will and his mother read the book of said title by Patricia Highsmith, in December of that year. The book makes Will think about how appreciative his mother...