Chapter 1: Eavesdropping Summary

Ten-year-old Lucky Trimble is eavesdropping while she is supposed to be working. She is listening in on Short Sammy's story again. She'd heard it many time before, but she likes the story - especially certain parts. Lucky has her rickety lawn chair wedged up against the wall behind the dumpster. A hole in the wall allows her to hear the speakers at the meeting. She is supposed to be cleaning up the trash and debris but she wants to listen to Sammy. He is speaking before a group of anonymous people at a twelve-step program at Hard Pan's Found Object Wind Chime Museum and Visitor Center.

Sammy is telling the story about when he hit rock bottom. He had drunk a gallon of rum while listening to Johnny Cash on the radio in his car. He looked over and saw that...