Autobiography of My Dead Brother Chapter 17 Summary

  • Another newspaper article, this time about good old Mason. It mentions that he's nineteen years old and was a member of the Counts. Also, he's been sentenced to seven years in jail.
  • Jesse's dad is freaking out. Since when are the Counts a gang? Jesse says that's just something Mason said to look cool.
  • Jesse's dad wants him to quit the Counts and they start arguing—and then Jesse's dad punches him in the face.
  • Here's Jesse's mom. She's upset; Jesse's dad storms off.
  • Jesse's eye is pretty messed up from the punch, and his mom says they have to go see a doctor.
  • Jesse and his mom grab a cab and head to the hospital. The doctor says his eye will be fine but he needs to take it easy for a while.
  • On the cab ride home, Jesse's mom gives him a lecture about how much she and Jesse's dad worry.
  • Back at home, Jesse wants to hang out on the stoop. His mom says she's going to hang out, too.
  • Benny and Calvin, who are also there, aren't quite sure what to make of it, so they split after a few minutes.
  • Jesse's mom tells him that a cop asked her if she wanted to file a domestic abuse report when they were at the hospital; she ask him not to.
  • Jesse tries to explain that the fight wasn't his fault, that he didn't do anything wrong. His mom says that she and his father aren't perfect.
  • Jesse wants to tell his mom about all his worry and confusion about recent goings-on, but he can't find the words. She leaves Jesse and his sore eye on the stoop to sulk.