Summary

Nashe views Jack simply as “a means to an end” (36) with regards to quickly making money, but he respects the fact that Jack seems to be “improvising his life as he went along” (37). Nashe feels compelled to remain calm and collected around Jack, as Jack seems rather energetic and impulsive. They drive to New York City and check-in to the upscale Plaza Hotel. In the hotel, Jack tells Nashe about his life. His parents are divorced, and he has not seen them in years. He is originally from Irvington, New Jersey. Jack had originally thought that his father had been killed in the Vietnam War; but, years later, his father returned for a brief visit. He gave Jack a $100 bill, had a brief conversation, and left. Jack never saw him again. When Jack graduated from high school, his father sent him a check...