Jesus' Son

This story begins with the narrator relating what he does over his lunch break: He visits a worker at the plant nursery across the street. The narrator believes the worker might sleep with him but might also be hiding a wedding ring. The narrator eventually decides not to go back to her because “[s]he seemed much too grownup for me” (115).

He works at a hospital for the elderly. The narrator reveals that he only has a job due to encouragement from Narcotics Anonymous members, and he feels ambivalent about it. The narrator feels responsible for providing an encouraging touch for the patients, who frequently need it. He relates the stories of some of the patients at the hospital, who include people who are unable to care for themselves.

The setting of this story is east Phoenix, where the hospital has a view of the desert. One day, while walking home from the bus stop, the narrator overhears a woman singing in her shower. Fascinated, he heads over to the window to see if he can peek inside at the woman, and he sees her toweling herself off in the bathroom. He fantasizes about sexually assaulting the woman, then rejects the idea because she could see his face.