Summary
While leaving the Michaels' home, Bucky runs into Horace, who is dubbed the “neighborhood moron.” Horace, a middle-aged man, is mentally and physically disabled. His appearance is shocking, and the narrator describes it in great detail. Horace’s face is eerily contorted, his feet drag beneath him, and he has a “sour smell” that is instantly recognizable. Bucky knows Horace well, since Horace often walks around the playground while the boys are playing ball.
Running into Horace prompts Bucky to think about the Kopferman brothers, Myron and Danny. The mischievous duo routinely mock and tease Horace, which has caused problems on the playground. He recalls one particularly cruel occasion in which Danny fired a toy weapon into the air in order to agitate Horace. Bucky reminisces about how he confiscated the weapon and sent Danny home with a letter explaining the day’s incidents. Bucky doubts that Mrs. Kopferman ever saw his letter, since the boys were unpunished and their behavior unchanged.
After he runs into Horace, Bucky visits the neighborhood hotdog stand. Yushy, the counterman, tells Bucky that Alan Michaels ate there before contracting polio. The Weequahic community fears that Alan contracted polio from the hotdogs, and thus his business is at a standstill. Yushy furiously tells Bucky that the blame is misdirected, since he is convinced that the Italians brought polio to Weequahic when they spat on Bucky’s playground. Bucky pushes back on Yushy’s argument. He informs him that the playground was sanitized immediately following the incident, and the Italians are not to blame.
Yushy, however, is confident that the playground is the epicenter of the disease. He bolsters his hypothesis by telling Bucky that yet another student from Chancellor, Herbie Steinmark, passed away that morning. Shocked by the news, Bucky leaves the hotdog stand and hurriedly heads to his office. Bucky reminisces on Herbie’s innocence, clumsiness, and unathletic nature. He thinks about the proximity of Herbie to Alan Michaels, and he reflects upon the differences and similarities of the playground’s two polio victims. Anxious and infuriated, Bucky begins to erratically scrub down all of the bathroom’s surfaces with bleach.
The next day, Bucky attends Alan’s funeral. From the pews, Bucky watches the reactions of his students. He thinks about what it means for the twelve-year-olds to process the death of their classmate and friend while navigating an uncertain, disease-stricken world. Following the funeral, Bucky is ushered to the cemetery. He is overwhelmed by the oppressive heat, and he is overcome with visions of Alan’s body “roasting” in the heat of the casket. As he watches Alan’s body being lowered into the ground, Bucky thinks about the death of his grandfather just three years before. While everyone joins in the blessings for Alan’s passing, Bucky begins to loathe God for inflicting such cruelty upon an innocent child and his family.
By the following week, the number of polio cases has risen unexpectedly. Among the afflicted are Danny and Myron Kopferman. After hearing about the brothers' illness, Bucky calls Mrs. Kopferman to express his concern and send well-wishes. To Bucky’s surprise, Mrs. Kopferman lashes out and blames Bucky for exposing her children to illness-inducing conditions. The phone call deeply affects Bucky, and he feels an immense sense of guilt. He worries about endangering the lives of the children that he cares for, but he also recognizes the essential need for children to have a recreational release. Dejected, he returns to his grandmother’s apartment.
While at home, Bucky receives a phone call from Marcia, his girlfriend. Marcia is worried about the polio outbreak in Weequahic, and she tries to convince Bucky to leave town and work at her summer camp. Although Bucky wishes to be reunited with Marcia, he realizes that leaving town would mean abandoning his students. Bucky recognizes his responsibility to the community, and he declines the offer. Following their phone conversation, Bucky decides to visit Marcia’s family home. Bucky wants to receive a doctor’s opinion about polio, and Dr. Steinberg, Marcia’s father, is able to provide some additional insight. Upon his arrival at Marcia’s house, Bucky feels instantly comforted and reassured. After discussing current affairs with Dr. Steinberg, Bucky asks for Marcia’s hand in marriage.
Analysis
In this section, the reader is introduced to Horace. Horace is an important character in the novel because he brings a sense of shame to the Weequahic community. Horace, who is mentally and physically disabled, disrupts the status quo of simple suburban life. Instead of being treated with compassion, Horace is teased, antagonized, and mocked by neighborhood children and adults alike. Perhaps Horace is viewed scornfully because he represents what could happen if someone contracts polio. His contorted body and obvious limp discomfort those around him, and his existence reminds people of the fragility of human life.
People are afraid to go to the hotdog stand after the death of Alan Michaels, since they fear he contracted polio there. This demonstrates how the community continues to search for a scapegoat in order to make sense of the disease. The cycle of scapegoating continues when Yushy, the counterman, blames the Italians for his failing business. In addition, Yushy’s story provides insight into the economic struggles that accompany a pandemic. While polio affects the health of those afflicted, many people struggle with their ability to provide for themselves. This adds an additional strain on community resources.
While at Alan’s funeral, Bucky’s gaze turns to his students. Although Bucky struggles to make sense of the tragic consequences of the disease at the young age of 23, he cannot fathom what his students must be feeling as they grieve for their classmate and friend. When the audience is introduced to Arnie towards the end of the novel, we are prompted to consider the trauma that dominated the lives of this generation of children. Childhood is most often associated with innocence and playfulness. In the novel, however, the young kids in Weequahic are forced to grapple with their own mortality.
Bucky is deeply affected when he hears that one of his new students has contracted polio. Although the Kopferman brothers are mischievous and cause Bucky trouble, he is devastated to hear that they have both fallen ill. Bucky allows for his conscience to drive most of his behaviors, and he reaches out to Mrs. Kopferman to convey his sympathy. However, her reaction reaffirms Bucky’s deepest insecurities. Bucky questions if he is doing the right thing by continuing to operate the playground. However, he now feels responsible for spreading polio within the Weequahic community.
Bucky’s experience with Mrs. Kopferman causes to feel anxious and unsettled. In need of guidance and support, Bucky approaches Dr. Steinberg, Marcia’s father, for advice. Dr. Steinberg shows Bucky what it means to be an endearing father—he is comforting, sensitive, and an attentive listener. Bucky’s decision to marry Marcia is not only rooted in his love for his girlfriend. Rather, Bucky realizes that he wants to work through his own trauma and be a part of a loving, healthy family.
