Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk Chapter 18 Summary

How It All Goes Down

The Proud Good-Bye

  • Billy wonders what the point of making the movie is, anyway, since you can see the real footage online for free.
  • Back at their awful seats, Josh hands out the Bravos' swag packets filled with signed photos and Cowboys paraphernalia.
  • Faison texts Billy to ask if he'll meet her after the game. Um, yes.
  • Albert calls Billy because Dime won't pick up the phone. He says that Norm is pissed, but who knows? Maybe he'll come back with another offer.
  • Out of curiosity, Billy picks Albert's brain about what it was like when he got his deferment from Vietnam. In other words, what would Albert do if he were in Billy's situation?
  • Most of the crowd is leaving because the Cowboys are losing and the weather continues to be terrible.
  • The rest of the crowd is shuffling into the good seats for the end of the game, so a group of drunk "young-marrieds"—as Billy calls them—start yucking it up with the Bravos.
  • Kathryn texts Billy that the car is there waiting for him. What would Shroom do?
  • Meanwhile, the drunk young-marrieds have made the turn from friendly to obnoxious, so Crack does what anyone else would do: he puts the loudest one, Travis, into a sleeper-hold to shut him up.
  • Dime decides it's time to go.
  • Josh instructs the Bravos to meet their limo at the west-side limo lane.
  • Billy text Faison and says he hopes she can meet him there.
  • Okay, so now Bravo has to wait to the side of the concourse, because some people are coming to say goodbye. Who? No one knows…
  • Albert and Mr. Jones (the guy packing heat in the Cowboys suite) emerge to say goodbye. The Bravos are pretty ticked at Albert for blowing their deal, but he promises that it's not over yet.
  • The Bravos walk out to the limo line, and Billy is dismayed to realize there are a whole bunch of white Hummer limos. How's Faison supposed to find him now?
  • Billy decides that if Faison can't find him, he'll go AWOL then and there, so that he can run away with her to the fantasy ranch.
  • Oh, poop. All of a sudden, Bravo realizes that the roadies they fought with at halftime are coming after them for a real fight.
  • Next thing he knows, Billy is on the ground getting his butt kicked.
  • Mr. Jones pulls his gun out, but he gets knocked from behind, and the gun goes flying.
  • The gun skitters to a stop under Major Mac's foot. He calmly picks it up and fires a round into the air.
  • That gets everyone's attention. The beatings stop, and the crowds disperse.
  • It takes a good while for the police to sort everything out, but somehow, the Bravos are ushered into their limo.
  • The roadies are handcuffed and will be arrested for coming after the Bravos with wrenches, pipes, crowbars, and all kinds of evil weaponry.
  • Even though every Bravo is bleeding from somewhere, each one refuses medical attention.
  • Faison calls Billy to find out which limo he's in, so he jumps out to find her.
  • Faison and Billy practically do the slo-mo run into each other's arms, and they kiss, even though Billy is bleeding profusely from the gash in his cheek.
  • Faison wraps her coat around Billy and they dry-hump some more.
  • Billy promises to visit Faison when he's on furlough in the spring. If he's alive, anyway.
  • Faison invites Billy to stay with her at her place.
  • Billy says he'd rather just run away with Faison, but she hesitates, and that's enough to make up his mind for him. He won't go find those guys from Austin.
  • Faison kisses Billy again and begs him to stay safe.
  • Dime's screaming for the Bravos to get back in the limo, so Billy has to go.
  • Billy gets into the car, and Crack tells the driver to get them outta there before they get killed.
  • Ha. Irony.