I Am the Messenger Part 3 / Chapter 4 Summary

the benefits of lying

  • Over at 114 Glory Road, there's a Polynesian family who are happy. Ed has no clue what his task will be there.
  • Ed and gang play cards and try to figure out where they should have Christmas that year. They decide to have it at Ed's on two conditions: Marv has to bring the Doorman a present and give him a kiss. Marv hates the Doorman so it's a tough one for him.
  • Back at Glory Road, Ed watches and waits. One night, the man who lives there—who is even bigger than the guy from Edgar St—calls out to him in the bushes and asks what's going on.
  • Ed has to think on his feet, so he concocts a story about how he used to live in their house.
  • Hearing this, the guy invites him in and introduces himself as Lua, and his wife as Marie. They ask him to dinner and all five kids are lively at the table. Then Ed gives them all piggyback rides.
  • When he's playing with the kids, one of them, named Jessie, comes over and whispers in his ear that the dad will put up the Christmas lights soon. It's the best.
  • Ed promises to come back and have a look.
  • That weekend, he keeps that promise. The lights are up, but half of them are broken or damaged.
  • Now Ed knows what he has to do, so he goes to K-Mart, buys more lights, and leaves them at the house on Glory Road.