A Million Little Pieces Part 4, Chapter 2 Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • James wakes up, and his new job is greeter.
  • James greets the new person, Michael, and gets his life story. They all laugh at Michael. At first he's mad, but then everyone tell stories, and everyone is laughing.
  • As James says, "[W]e are all awful" (4.2.32).
  • Joanne tells James that Lilly is okay. Joanne is surprised James was in a crack house and didn't touch anything.
  • Joanne lets James know that she'll schedule his confession for as soon as possible, and then he can leave for good.
  • Leonard is getting ready to go, and he tells James that he wants him to be his real son.
  • A man named Snapper picks up Leonard in a big ol' Benz.
  • James thanks Leonard for saving his life. Leonard says, "You saved your own life" (4.2.232).
  • James almost cries as Leonard drives away with his fist held high out the passenger window.
  • Miles has good news: his wife came around and decided to enroll in the family program.
  • James calls his parents and tells them he'll be leaving in two days.
  • Then James writes his inventory: page after page after page about all the terrible things he's done. ("I recorded over Project Runway on the DVR… I bought white chocolate Reese's instead of regular ones. I'm a fan of a Cleveland sports team…")