Blacktop Wasteland

The narrative shifts from focusing on Bug to focusing on Ronnie. Deeply in debt to gamblers who have given him 30 days to make good, Ronnie is living with his brother Reggie, who has an intellectual disability, in Reggie’s mobile home. Ronnie decides that Bug is unlikely to participate in the heist and wonders who else could be their driver. To Ronnie’s surprise, Bug agrees to take part. They plan a meeting that evening at Reggie’s trailer. Ronnie contacts Quan, another participant, and his girlfriend Jenny, who works at the store they are going to rob. Ronnie reflects that this would be his big score: “He’d told Beauregard there was $500,000 worth of diamonds. That wasn’t exactly true either. Lying in her bed after bumping uglies, Jenny told him it was three times that much” (66).

The narrative perspective jumps back to following Bug. As the workday ends and Bug closes his garage, he tells Kelvin he is going to meet with Ronnie to discuss a job. Kelvin says he is available to assist if needed. Bug calls Kia, whom he’s avoided since their argument the previous day, to tell her he is going to the meeting.