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The Perks of Being a Wallflower Part 3, Chapter 8 Summary

How It All Goes Down

February 23, 1992

  • While waiting for her at the clinic, Charlie does a lot of thinking about his sister.
  • Ironically, she was the one who told Charlie where babies come from.
  • Charlie starts to cry because he realizes that this is the first time anyone ever counted on him for something. Big deal alert.
  • He decides to sit in the car and smoke instead of sit in the waiting room.
  • When his sister comes out, the first thing she says is "Charlie, are you smoking?!" (3.8.10).
  • She says she's going to tell Mom and Dad, but he knows she isn't because then she would have to tell them where she was.
  • They share one of those this-really-isn't-a-funny-moment-but-we-can't-stop-laughing laughs.
  • Charlie and his sister each say "I love you" before she falls asleep and Charlie drives them home.
  • At home, Mom and Dad ask a lot of questions about where they've been, but Charlie's sister covers their tracks pretty well.
  • That night, Charlie can't sleep, so he calls an information 800 number.
  • He tells the operator, Michelle, that he doesn't want to order anything, but he hopes she's having a good night.
  • She hangs up on him, but he doesn't care.