- Our MC becomes addicted to support groups: Alcoholics Anonymous, Incest Survivors Group, Tuberculosis, Gastric Cancer.
- In one group, he meditates, "going deeper into [his] cave" and imagines his spirit animal: a penguin. "Slide," the penguin says, and slides away.
- These groups rejuvenate him: "Every evening I died. And every evening I was born again. Resurrected."
- Then, someone new shows up. "She ruined everything," our MC narrates as a woman in sunglasses stomps into the testicular cancer support group. She takes the cigarette out of her mouth, exhales, and says, "This is cancer, right?"
- This is Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter). Our MC hates her. She shows up at all the support groups. Blood parasites. Sickle-cell circle. Tuberculosis.
- He calls her a "big tourist." Her lie reflects his lie, and his insomnia returns.
- He lies awake at night and fantasizes about calling her out in front of the whole group.