Slam Chapter 12 Summary

  • When Sam wakes up, he's whisked off to the future again. This time he's back at home, and Mark is feeding a baby girl, whom he guesses is his baby sister.
  • He's not sure when he is, but he figures the baby is already a few months or a year at least, so Roof must be older, too.
  • Mark looks at him like he's lost his mind when he offers to feed his sister. Sam knows he shouldn't act inconspicuously, but he also wants to learn more about what's going on.
  • For one thing, what's his sister's name? For another, why doesn't he live at Alicia's anymore?
  • Ring, ring. His phone rings (except his ringtone sounds like a cow) and he picks it up to hear Alicia's voice on the other line.
  • She asks if he can take Roof to get his shot, and he agrees.
  • Sam figures this is the perfect opportunity to find out what year it is, so he asks his mom how old kids are when they get their immunization shots. Fifteen months, she replies.
  • Finally Sam has some concrete information about when he is. He also learns his baby sister's name is Emily.
  • When Sam picks up Roof from Alicia's place, he notices that she looks terrible. She makes some joke about catching his cold, but he doesn't get it.
  • Roof asks if he can have an ice cream if he's a good boy, and Sam ups the ante by also promising to take him to the swings after the doc.
  • All of a sudden, Roof bursts into tears, and Alicia shoots Sam an angry look. Seems like the kid doesn't care for the swings. What's not to love?
  • It occurs to Sam that he never knows what's going on in his own life when he jumps back and forth in time. He doesn't get the inside jokes or really know anyone.
  • At the doctor's office, Sam is lost. He's not sure whether his kid has his last name or Alicia's.
  • The nurse isn't having any of it. What kind of dad doesn't know his own kid's name?
  • She tells him to come back when he knows his son's name, but Sam can't confess to Alicia that Roof didn't get the shot after all. Instead he makes his son promise to tell mommy that he was a brave boy at the doctor. That right there is some stellar parenting for you (not).
  • At the park, Sam learns that Roof was hit on the head with a swing one time. No wonder the kid doesn't like them.
  • They play in the sandpit and then head to the movies to see a kid's flick. Right away, Roof starts complaining that he doesn't like it, though, so they leave.
  • Sam drops him back at Alicia's and she's annoyed that Sam couldn't take care of his own son for longer.
  • As Sam leaves, Roof blows him a kiss goodbye.
  • Back at home, Sam asks his mom how he's doing. You know, in life. She's taken aback by the random question (wouldn't you be?), but she gives him a seven out of ten overall.
  • Hmmm… Sam thinks that's probably fair, considering how things have turned out. His mom seconds that.