- It's super hot and humid the day they go into New York City together.
- They park the car, and Neil asks Brenda if she has enough money for the taxi.
- She says she thought he was coming with her.
- He says he'll just wait here in the bar.
- He says he'll be waiting in Central Park, across from the doctor's office.
- He argues but the look in her eye changes his mind.
- While Brenda is upstairs in the doctor's office in the Squibb Building, Neil goes into St. Patrick's Cathedral.
- Neil talks to God.
- (The conversation Neil has with God is one of the most confusing of the story. Basically Neil asks God for guidance with regards to Brenda, and God says Neil can find God in the Patimkin wealth. The tone is joking, but with a dark edge.)
- Soon Brenda emerges from the doctor's office. She announces triumphantly that she is wearing the diaphragm.
- Neil tells her he loves her.
- They have sex with her wearing it that night, clumsily because this way is new to them.
- The next day was too hectic for them to spend much time together. Everybody was preparing for the wedding.
- Sunday night, the night before the wedding, everybody is exhausted.
- Neil and Ron run into each other in the bathroom, and Ron invites him to listen to the Columbus record. Neil agrees.
- The Columbus record turns out to be a recording of Ron's graduation from college at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
- First the announcer describes the Homecoming basketball game of 1956, then the "Minnesota game," the last game of the season.
- The announcer announces that members of the basketball team are dribbling out on the court now as part of the graduation ceremony.
- He announces Ron, and Neil notices that Ron is getting nervous and excited as they listen to the recording of the crowd cheering him.
- A few thousand students are graduating with Ron, that day in June, in 1957.
- Neil can see goosebumps on Neil's arms as the announcer says: "We will miss you in, in the fall, in the winter, in the spring, but some day we shall return. 'Till then, goodbye, Ohio State, goodbye, red and white, goodbye, Columbus…goodbye…"
- Ron has fallen asleep and so Neil quietly leaves the room, looking at Ron who is humming in his sleep. He thinks that he has some future brother-in-law!
- Now we are at the wedding reception. (The day before Brenda leaves for college.)
- Mrs. Patimkin's three sisters, her brother, and their spouses are in attendance.
- The only person there from Mr. Patimkin's side is Leo, a half-brother.
- Leo is there with his wife and eight-year-old daughter.
- He wanted his wife to leave "the kid" (7.55) home, but she didn't want to hire a babysitter.
- A band is playing and everybody is dancing.
- Brenda is dancing with Ferrari, and Neil is hanging out with Leo.
- (The rest of this chapter is mostly Leo talking.)
- Pointing at Brenda, Leo says Neil has something good.
- He tells Neil that he's only had two good things happen to him in life.
- His mother-in-law had found him and his wife an inexpensive, rent-controlled apartment in Queens, New York.
- Neil asks about the second good thing that happened to him.
- Leo looks confused and says he only says there are two things so his wife won't think he's cynical, but really only one good thing happened to him.
- Neil moves to join Brenda when her dance with Ferrari is over.
- Mr. Patimkin makes lots of hints about Neil and Brenda getting married.
- Neil looks over at Leo, and Leo's giving him the thumbs-up.
- Neil and Brenda dance and then sit down to eat.
- They eat, drink, and dance all night.
- When Brenda leaves Neil to go to the bathroom, Leo finds Neil and strikes up the conversation again.
- Leo is really drunk and slurring now. He spills some champagne on Neil.
- Mr. Patimkin comes over and tells Leo and Neil goodnight.
- Leo and Neil are the only people left at the table and Brenda isn't back from the bathroom.
- The topic of work arises. Leo sells light bulbs to people. He talks about the ups and downs of this profession.
- On his way home from working, Leo usually stops for a couple of drinks.
- His wife complains that it's bad for the kid if he comes home smelling of drinks.
- She wishes he would stay out of bars and come home and play with his daughter instead.
- Leo says that if he works and plays with the child, he won't have energy to be too good in bed. His wife will have to choose which one is more important to her. What do you want from a forty-eight-year-old man with a three-year-old daughter?
- Leo suddenly remembers the second good thing that happened to him—a woman named Hannah Schreiber, who he had a one-night stand with before he was married.
- Leo gets on light bulbs again, and then gets emotional. Neil fears Leo is about to cry, so he suggests Leo go home and helps him find his wife and daughter.
- Neil is touched by Leo's genuinely warm farewell. Leo tells him to hang on to Brenda and not screw things up.
- He says that next time they meet it will be at Neil's wedding.
- It's about four am, and Neil finds Brenda sleeping in the hotel lobby.
- He rouses her and she walks sleepily with him to the car. As he's driving her back to the Patimkin house, he thinks of Leo traveling around selling light bulbs.
- The next day seems like fall. At midday Neil drives Brenda to the train station and then she's gone.