The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Chapter 9 Summary

Grandmother Gives Me Some Advice

  • Junior worries that Roger will take revenge. He wishes Rowdy were still his friend, but unfortunately, Rowdy hates him too.
  • Junior asks his grandmother for advice. The ever-wise Grandma (fig 9.1) tells Junior that Roger not fighting back probably means he respects Junior. Junior thinks she's plain crazy.
  • The next day, Junior's parents don't have enough gas to take him to school, so he begins walking the twenty-two miles to the high school. On the way, he meets with his father's best friend, Eugene (fig 9.2).
  • Eugene is a drunk, but fortunately the happy kind. He gives Junior a ride to school on his motorcycle. The kids all stare when Junior arrives at school.
  • Roger approaches Junior and asks about the motorcycle. He seems weirdly impressed. He doesn't kick Junior's butt. He just tells him he'll see him around.
  • Junior thinks maybe his Grandma was right.
  • Feeling pretty pumped, Junior sees Penelope (the cute blonde girl) and says hello, but she responds with an icy "Do I know you?" (9.79).
  • As Junior says, he may have "impressed the king," but "the queen" still didn't care for him one bit (9.82).