Summary

Part 1, Chapter 1 opens with the narrator looking back on a memory of her friend Luce on the night of Luce's going away party. The narrator is smoking her first cigarettes in months waiting for Luce finish making her goodbyes to all their restaurant coworkers, admitting that recent stress has her fighting off old urges. When Luce finally comes outside, she expresses concern over the whereabouts of her boyfriend of two years, Wilky, who is supposed to pick them up and is never late. The narrator does not miss Wilky's absence, as she is glad to have Luce to herself after all the time Luce spends with Wilky, talking incessantly about their move to Florida the following morning. When they get back to their bungalow, they have a feast of processed foods and get comfortable to hang out one last time.

When a...