There's no getting away from it
- Slocum resolves that he's got to get rid of Derek.
- But Slocum can't tell his wife, especially since they blame each other for him, even though Slocum admits that Derek is a circumstantial twist of nature, or a fluke.
- Perhaps Slocum could call it a mercy killing, or plead temporary insanity?
- Slocum sometimes feels that if it weren't for Derek, he and his wife wouldn't quarrel with each other. But even that may be a lie.
- Derek doesn't talk to Slocum, and sometimes Slocum does not even know if all of the conversations he has are his. Slocum even laughs in his sleep and dreams that he is a spectator at a puppet show where the puppets eerily resemble himself.
- Slocum's wife is bored and continues to feel like he does not love her, and yet much to Slocum's dismay, she still doesn't commit adultery.
- The Slocums no longer entertain because of Derek, and Slocum admits he used to like Derek back when he still thought he was normal.
- Slocum's wife, a "cheerful Congregationalist", once had the idea to take Derek to church, but Slocum killed that one quickly.
- Slocum's daughter is embarrassed to have Derek around when her friends are over, and Slocum tries to counsel her not to feel embarrassed, even though he feels the same way.
- Slocum then wants, needs, and dreams of divorce, and he even wanted a divorce the moment he got married. Then he pledged to leave when Derek was five. But that did not happen: he could never bring himself to do it, because he doesn't know how it's done.
- Slocum's wife doesn't say "I love you" anymore, and Slocum feels he wants to say it but he can't.
- Slocum marches into Arthur Baron's office and proclaims he wants Kagle's job. They ponder how Kagle will respond to the news, predicting he'll probably tell everyone it was his idea to promote Slocum.
- Slocum discusses how he's on the way up and Kagle's on the way down.
- Slocum compares Derek to a building where the architecture is finished, the circuits cannot be changed, and there's nothing anybody can find that can be fixed.
- Slocum used to carry photos of all three of his children in his wallet, but now he doesn't carry any photos.
- Slocum wants to give Derek away, but he's afraid. When his wife's sister suggests the idea, he deems her inhumane. How duplicitous of you, Slocum.
- Slocum announces to his wife that he got promoted to Kagle's job, and she's upset to learn that Slocum knew the whole time that it was Kagle's job he was taking.
- Slocum's wife responds, "Kagle's got two children"—and Slocum says so does he. His wife reminds him that he's forgetting Derek again. He resolves never again to say anything personal to his wife.
- The next day in the office, what do you know, Kagle says to Slocum that he had a big hand in recommending Slocum to his position. Mmhmm, sure Kagle.
- Slocum talks about the inside of his brain, and about how he feels pain and thinks his head might explode.
- Okay, then.