American Rust: A Novel

Walking home, Poe passes Frank’s Tavern, supposedly kept in business by mob money from Florida. He fantasizes about Lee and about following her to Connecticut, but he knows it’s unrealistic. He is a part of a past she’s trying to shed in favor of her new life of mansions and fancy cars.

The next morning, he decides to fill out college applications and get his life back on track. He steps out in the warm, sunny morning and sees his rusted Camaro, not worth the money he’s sunk into it; he decides to sell it and buy something more sensible. His mother drives up, and he tells her he’s planning to apply to college. She’s skeptical, but he wants to prove himself. Looking for some way to demonstrate credibility, he grabs his rifle and goes deer hunting, thinking this will put food on the table and prove his responsibility. As he waits for a deer, he marvels at the beauty of the countryside and tells himself that economic recovery is in sight.

Poe has lost track of time communing with nature when, back at his house, Harris pulls into his driveway. The police chief scans the field and spies Poe, hidden in the tall grass.