the weather turns cold as the year ended, but joe and ratso got a break, when they were invited to a big party. along with eating (and stashing for later) as much of the food there as they could, joe meets a who finally treated him the way he had always wanted to be, in new york city, and paid him likewise. ratso, however, became even more ill, and was unable to walk or stand for long. he refuses to go to a doctor or a hospital, and insists joe takes him to florida.