- Augie visits his brother George, who hasn't had a visitor in a few years.
- He takes him off grounds, without permission, but this upsets him, and they return.
- Next Augie sees him mother, who feels his face and comments on how skinny he is.
- She wants him to see Simon.
- He does this. Simon seems to have forgiven him and teases him for his randomness and sentiment in going to Mexico.
- Simon has become a very successful property owner.
- They eat breakfast.
- Simon wants to take Augie around, but he has him put on fancier clothes first.
- Charlotte complains that Augie is tending towards being a bum.
- Augie asks Mrs. Magnus why she sits in the dark.
- Simon doesn't like her cheap clothes.
- He gives her a check to get some new clothes so she won't look like a scrub woman.
- Augie goes to Einhorn.
- The old man complains about Mimi Villars and her effect on his son.
- She complains about Einhorn when Augie sees her next.
- Mimi and Arther have had a lot of bad luck, with illnesses and job difficulties, but she's very much in love with him.
- Augie's other friends are hard on him for going to Mexico with Thea.
- Clem tells him to be more concrete with his ambitions.
- Mimi gets a laugh out of his adventures.
- Mimi's been trying to get Arthur to apply for a specific job, but he doesn't want it.
- Augie asks him what it is.
- Some millionaire is looking for a research assistant.
- Augie writes almost daily to Thea, but never gets a response.
- Stella writes him. He's impressed.
- Simon gives him money so he can go to school.
- Augie inquires about the job. This millionaire, Robey, wants to write a book on the history of human happiness from the standpoint of the rich.
- Augie has lunch with him. The food is bad.
- Robey anticipates a coming age of material paradise for all people, but will it free man or enslave him?
- He outlines the book idea for Augie.
- Augie asks about salary. Robey says $15 a week. Augue says he can get that on relief without doing anything. They haggle. Augie insists on $30 per week for 30 hours.
- Robey looks as though he hates Augie for this, but he hires him nonetheless.
- Augie has some heavy reading to do: Weber, Tawney, and Marx.
- Too bad Shmoop wasn't around then!
- He meets with his employer twice a week, mostly to listen to Robey rage.
- Robey continues to give Augie assignments, but he stops his own work on the book.
- Their working relationship becomes strained as Augie tires of Robey's nervousness and habits.