The Pigman

John narrates this chapter. He reveals that it was he who cut out the “Dear Alice” column. It reminded him of Norton, who played with dolls when he was a kid—and who, like the letter-writer’s child, also has his mother to blame for that. He only stopped once people started making fun of him. Then, he turned into a “tough guy” and started getting into fights and shoplifting. John thinks Norton could become a murderer when he grows up—so it’s understandable that he’s a bit apprehensive when Norton asks John to have a beer with him in the cemetery, just the two of them. This happens about a month after John and Lorraine first meet Mr. Pignati.

Norton asks John why John and Lorraine spend so much time around Mr. Pignati’s house. John says Mr. Pignati is just nice is all, but Norton won’t back down. He asks John if Mr. Pignati has anything worth stealing. John says no and mumbles something about tools, but this catches Norton’s attention—DD, the “lunatic” guy who pretends he’s the leader of a mob but really just buys hubcaps and radios that kids steal, could be interested in tools. John thinks that Norton has “reached a new peak of ugliness[.]” Norton asks more questions about “that screech owl” (Lorraine) and John’s relationship with Mr. Pignati. John says not to call Lorraine a screech owl and makes a jab at Norton about his infamous marshmallow theft, which shuts him up.

But Norton isn’t finished talking about Mr. Pignati. If John doesn’t give Norton more information about him, says Norton, then he and Dennis might pay the man a visit on their own. Unfazed, John gets up, sarcastically thanks Norton for the beer, and leaves, calling Norton “Marshmallow Kid” as he walks away. John knows Norton has to pretend he hasn’t heard this last bit.

As he walks, John wonders why he’s so messed up—like why he drinks, for example. He thinks back to Bore finding amusement in giving 10-year-old John sips of beer, joking to his friends about how John would grow up to be a drinker. When Bore got sclerosis of the liver, he stopped drinking—but John didn’t. And before John knew it, his parents seemed old to him—they didn’t argue anymore and just seemed tired all the time. John feels “out of place” at home. When John lights a cigarette, John’s mom is only worried about him burning a hole in the floor. In general, she’s only ever worried that he’ll “disturb” his father or mother. But then there’s the Pigman, who always tells John to make himself at home and take anything out of the fridge that he likes. John knows that he’ll kill Norton if he does anything to hurt the Pigman.