Part Three, Chapters 6-8: Summary
At a downtown Denver eatery, Sal and Dean engage in a heated dispute as Sal believes Dean is mocking him for being five years his senior. Distraught, Dean exits the establishment, leaving Sal remorseful for his outburst. Upon his return, Dean admits to Sal that he had been shedding tears.
In Denver, they lodge with an Okie lady called Frankie and her kids. Sal had encountered her in Denver a fortnight prior. Dean accompanies Frankie to assist her in purchasing a vehicle; he encourages her to seize a car he believes is a bargain, but her indecisiveness frustrates him and he becomes upset.
During this visit to Denver, Dean wants to locate his father. He inquires about his father's whereabouts, but nobody seems to know where he is or if he's still in Denver. Dean arranges a meeting with his cousin, Sam Brady. They convene with Sam at a bar, where Dean notices that Sam has transformed and now abstains from alcohol. Sam informs Dean that the family no longer wants any association with him or his father. After driving around and engaging in conversation for a while, Sam drops Sal and Dean off at a street fair before hastily departing.
Sal and Dean meander through the carnival grounds. Dean is captivated by a stunning little person and trails her throughout the area, but lacks the courage to strike up a conversation. Eventually, they head back to Frankie's place, where they listen to music and Dean finds himself fascinated by Frankie's 13-year-old daughter, Janet.
The following day, Dean attempts to secure another vehicle from the travel agency to transport them to New York. Upon Dean's return, he and Sal begin consuming a large amount of bourbon. Dean briefly steps outside and comes back to report that a neighbor of Frankie's is pursuing him with a shotgun, having witnessed Dean conversing with her adolescent daughter. The girl's mother arrives, armed with a shotgun and accompanied by a group of young men. She threatens Dean, but Sal succeeds in pacifying her. She vows to shoot Dean if he continues to trouble her daughter.
Frankie participates in the drinking, and they hail a taxi to transport them to a nearby roadhouse bar. Upon arrival, Dean departs and swipes a vehicle from the parking area, coming back with another stolen car from downtown. The authorities arrive when the first stolen car is reported, but Dean audaciously steals another vehicle right in front of them before returning with a different car.
While Dean is enjoying his car theft spree, Sal becomes increasingly anxious. He shares a cab ride home with Frankie and Dean trails behind in another stolen vehicle, honking loudly and causing a commotion. They eventually reach Frankie's place and stash the car on a remote country road before walking back to the house. As Sal drifts off to sleep, he reflects on how everything has devolved into a "horrible mess."
In the morning, Dean informs Sal that the most recent car he took belonged to a detective, putting them in serious trouble. They hurriedly gather their belongings and make their way to the city center, eager to leave town. At the travel agency, they secure a job driving a Cadillac limousine for a rich man who needs it transported to his residence in Chicago. Dean promptly departs with the vehicle to fetch a waitress he just encountered. He comes back in thirty minutes, asserting that he and the waitress had a romantic encounter in the limousine's rear seat.
Sal and Dean depart from Denver in the Cadillac, accompanied by two college students. As...
(This entire section contains 751 words.)
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they exit the city, Dean accelerates to 110 mph, causing the limousine's speedometer to malfunction. They decide to visit Dean's buddy, Ed Wall, at his ranch in Sterling, Colorado. Veering off the main road, they race along a dirt path, only to find themselves trapped in a mud-filled ditch. A local farmer rescues them using his tractor; the vehicle remains functional, but its front fender is now damaged.
They reach Ed Wall's residence, where they encounter Ed's dad in pursuit of a cow. Dean informs Sal that he had stayed at Ed's ranch during his probation following his most recent incarceration. Ed Wall gazes at Dean's injured thumb, shaking his head in recognition of Dean's perpetual insanity. Ed welcomes Sal, Dean, and the university students for a meal, yet he remains suspicious of Dean, believing he stole the limousine. Sal observes that Ed's trust in Dean had diminished, mirroring Sam Brady's sentiments.