Pp. 298-313 Summary

In "our laughter is muted by their agony" the author discusses the good everyday people who struggle through the lie that they can achieve anything.

Chinaski talks about great writers past their prime in "murder." They wind up writing commissions they do not want, appearing on talk shows and becoming gossip snipes. They wind up in debt. It happens all the time.

In "what am I doing?" Chinaski wonders why he is so inclined to drive like a maniac and risk death. He figures the day will come when he will be nothing more than a gruesome photo in traffic court, used to scare offenders.

Chinaski tells the story of a trip to a store in "nervous people." As he checks out, the teller cannot quite get the item to ring up correctly. Chinaski's wife says he makes people nervous. When...