Chapter 3 Summary

Ivy Peniston is worried that her son, Jerome, will not graduate from high school because he has failed his typing class. She goes to the school to try to convince the principal to pass her son, but she is unsuccessful. She remembers her acquaintance, Mr. Pym, who has helped her with legal issues in the past. Mr. Pym is always interested in learning more about Ivy's job and the people she works for. Ivy considers finding out something interesting to pass on to Mr. Pym in exchange for help with Jerome. Ivy works for the cleaning crew at the Executive Office Building.

Chapter 3 Analysis

Ivy Peniston is a simple woman with clear goals for her son, Jerome. When Jerome's future is threatened, Ivy is forced to go outside the normal bureaucratic structure in order to get what she needs. Her experience at the...