Pp. 236-255 Summary

The author explains the dynamic among him, his wife, and his cats in "wearing the collar." Some days they all like him; some days some like him; some days none of them do. The author stays with this dynamic in "a cat is a cat is a cat is a cat." Here, his wife is shouting for one of their cats while he tries to type and listen to Beethoven. He reaches the conclusion that he prefers a cat to a person any day.

In "marching through Georgia" Chinaski ruminates on what a hot, mean world it is. It turns everything to a burnt chicken wing, even this poem.

In "gone" the author laments that somewhere along the dull course of his life, he lost it.

"I meet the famous poet" tells the story of Chinaski's visit with Philip Lamantia, the...