Sammy is trying to figure out how a girl's mind works. When these three girls come into the store improperly dressed, or undressed, he is stunned with joy watching them walk around the store.
His shock leads to a thought, how could anyone make such a rash choice, walking around...
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
in such a state of undress in public. In the 1960s there was a standard for young ladies, many of them wore hats and gloves when they were dressed. Most people observed the polite rules of society, so therefore, most girls would not walk around in a store wearing only a bathing suit.
So Sammy, looking at these girls, thinks about the lead girl like a Queen Bee, leading the others. He wonders how her brain works. He is a teenage boy trying to understand what makes a girl tick. A common thought, especially, for Sammy at this moment, who wants desperately to be noticed by these girls.
He is so driven to be noticed that he makes a drastic decision, without thinking of the consequences. He blurts out: "I quit," when the girls are chastised for coming into the store improperly dressed.
"You never know for sure how girls' minds work (do you really think it's a mind in there or just a little buzz like a bee in a glass jar?)" (Updike)