Irv escorts Paul to the hospital in Oneonta, and they arrive just after Paul has been transported into the ER. Panicking and on the verge of a breakdown, Frank desperately tries to ascertain his son’s prognosis. During the drive to Oneonta, Irv tries to distract Frank by discussing the past and the state of Irv’s life. He has been married twice and is considering a third marriage to his girlfriend Emma, who he has left behind in Cooperstown. Irv is effusive but affable, and as Frank struggles to cope with his worry, Irv has a beneficial influence. Irv is a supportive presence for Frank and remains with him through the entire ordeal, even if it means just sitting in the waiting room alone. At one point on the way to the hospital, Frank muses about a pheasant that flies out of the brush on the side of the road.

It turns out that Paul’s eye has been damaged and will require surgery. Frank believes that the doctor, like the EMS technicians who initially tended to Paul, is judgmental. Paul did not wear a helmet, nor was he wearing eye protection in the cage. When the doctor informs Frank of the options for surgery, he realizes that before deciding what to do, he must consult with Ann, who is currently at the Yale Yacht club with Charley O’Dell.