- Anse laments that it’s going to rain soon.
- He remembers telling Addie that bad luck goes right up to his door, via the new road that was put in by his house. Addie challenged him to change houses, but he countered that if God had intended men to be on the move, he would have made them long and flat, like a road or snake.
- He remembers suggesting to Addie that she lie down just to rest, that neither of them thought she was sick, and that the next thing he knew, the doctor, Peabody, was over. He clearly remembers that he never asked the doctor to come.
- Anse complains that now he is the one who has to pay (for the doctor), even though he is in need of help himself since he has no teeth and cannot really eat food.
- Anse claims that he is not a sinful man, therefore he will not curse his bad luck (just complain about it a whole lot instead).
- Vardaman returns from butchering the fish, covered in blood. Anse figures he might have thrown the fish away from shame of doing a bad job of cleaning it up.
- Vardaman asks him if mom has gotten sicker. All Anse answers is, "Go wash your hands."
- Anse notes that he can no longer put his heart into anything, even ordering his sons to work.