Raymond Sintes Timeline and Summary

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• Meursault is chatting with Salamano when Raymond bumps into them on the landing to their shared apartment complex. Raymond invites Meursault for a light dinner, and Meursault agrees.
• While enjoying blood sausages and wine – lots of it – Raymond asks Meursault if he wants to be pals. Meursault agrees.
• Raymond then confides in Meursault about his wanting to teach his ex-girlfriend, his cheating mistress, an ultimate lesson.
• He tells Meursault that when he discovered her cheating on him, he smacked her around. But this time, he wants to make her pay by humiliating her. He resents that, despite her cheating, he still has sexual urges towards her.
• The two devise a plan. Meursault writes an emotional letter for Raymond which they expected will compel his ex-girlfriend (who we find out is Moorish) to come back. Then, once she does, Raymond can have sex with her and "right at the last minute" spit in her face and throw her out.
• Raymond, pleased with the letter, seals it off for mailing. The men shake each other’s hand to seal their new friendship. After finishing off the liter of wine, the two smoke, and Meursault leaves.
• Raymond sends off the letter.
• Saturday morning, a fight breaks out in Raymond’s room; a woman’s shrill voice is heard. Raymond hits the woman repeatedly, and all of his neighbors come out to the landing to watch.
• A cop shows up and questions Raymond, who disrespectfully smokes a cigarette. The cop smacks Raymond across the face; the cigarette flies out of his month, and Raymond shakes in fear.
• The cop sends the woman home and informs Raymond that he will be later summoned to the police station for questioning.
• With the commotion now over, everyone leaves.
• At three p.m., Raymond knocks on Meursault’s door. He debriefs Meursault that he carried out the plan as they said, but when he spit in the woman’s face, she slapped him. Of course, he says, he had to retaliate.
• The two go for a walk. Raymond asks Meursault to be a character witness for him, and Meursault agrees.
• After a brandy or two, the men shoot a game of pool. Raymond then suggests visiting the brothel, but Meursault declines. The pair leisurely strolls back to their apartments.
• The next week, Raymond calls Meursault at the office to invite him and Marie to spend the coming Sunday at his friend’s beach house near Algiers. Raymond also tells Meursault that he’s been followed all day by a group of Arabs, one of whom is the brother of his ex-girlfriend.
• On Sunday, Meursault and Marie knock on Raymond’s door so the three can ride the bus together to Raymond’s friend’s beach house.
• Meursault reveals that, just yesterday, he and Raymond went to the police station so Meursault could testify about the woman having cheated on Raymond. As a result, Raymond got off with a warning.
• As the three head toward the bus stop, Raymond points to a group of Arabs in front of the tobacconist’s shop. The second one from the left is supposedly the brother of Raymond’s ex-girlfriend.
• As the three catch the bus, the Arabs do not follow.
• They arrive at Raymond’s friend’s (Masson) wooden bungalow, have lunch, and then Raymond, Meursault, and Masson go for a walk on the beach.
• While by the water, Raymond points to two Arabs in blue overalls walking towards them from the far end of the beach. These are the same Arabs who had been following Raymond all week.
• The three men plan an attack, in case any trouble arises.
• Raymond steps up to the Arab brother of his ex-girlfriend, and strikes the first blow.
• The Arab cuts Raymond’s arm and slashes his mouth with a knife.
• Masson takes Raymond to the doctor who spends his Sundays up on the plateau.
• At 1:30 p.m., Raymond comes back all bandaged up. He looks pretty grim. Raymond goes to get some air at the beach, and Meursault follows him.
• The two again stumble upon the two Arabs, this time lying down in their overalls near the little spring at the end of the beach. They seem calm.
• Raymond wants to shoot the Arab who attacked him, but Meursault talks him out of it. Finally, Raymond hands Meursault his gun, so he himself can take the Arab on "man to man."
• The sun glares, and everyone stares at each other. The Arabs back away behind the giant rock. Raymond and Meursault turn and go back to the beach house.
• Raymond disappears up the stairs to the bungalow for a rest while Meursault turns back toward the beach.
• In Court, Raymond is called last to the witness stand. He blurts out that Meursault was innocent, and the judge reprimands him about not stating his opinion. The prosecutor gets nasty with Raymond as well, painting a picture of him as a girlfriend-beater, a pimp, and an accomplice of Meursault’s. He says Raymond wanted to kill the Arab to settle the drama with his ex-girlfriend.
• After the verdict and sentencing is announced, Raymond never sees Meursault again.