A bright boy named Louie Berk passed away when he was twelve years old. Ten years later, Joey, who was best friends with Louie's brother Sammy, observes how Louie's family constantly claims Louie would have been successful if he lived. Joey sees it as the refusal to accept Louie's death and the desire to "drag him back to earth and speculate on his chances of becoming a bloated millionaire." Joey feels guilt for pushing Louie away constantly when they were young, and especially for something he did to Louie just before his death. Joey visits the cemetery with his family to see his father's and Louie's graves. The office gives Joey a map with directions to find Louie's grave, but Joey cannot find it where it should be. Joey remembers Louie's agility and hyperactivity. He remembers one incident that he can never shake off. Sammy and Joey are speaking to two girls on the street named Rosie and Bessie. Louie teases Bessie by pulling her hair. Sammy tells Louie to leave, and Louie eventually agrees to keep quiet. However, he quickly begins to mock Joey and Rosie, who are speaking shyly to each other. Joey impulsively punches Louie across the jaw to stop his taunting. Louie starts to cry and storms off, and Sammy tells Joey he shouldn't have struck him. He reveals that Louie's heart has not functioned well since he got sick last year. A speechless Joey argues that he would not have hit him if he knew, but Sammy walks away, disappointed. The next day, Sammy reveals to Joey that Louie became sick and didn't sleep all night. For days, Joey has not seen Louie. Sammy explains his sickness wasn't severe; he just couldn't eat or sleep. The family had not called the doctor because his mother didn't want to pay the high costs unless necessary. One evening, Sammy tells Joey that Louie wishes to see him. When Joey arrives, Louie's mother assures him that Louie is feeling well. A sickly-looking Louie timidly greets Joey from his bed. He tells Joey he is glad Joey punched him because he deserved it. Joey responds that it was wrong for him to do that. Louie invites Joey to come the next day to play checkers and dies that night. A puzzled Joey tries to understand death and how it affects everyone, not just the victim. Joey accidentally misses the funeral the following day. Later, Sammy walks by Joey's house, ignoring Joey when he greets him. Joey runs to comfort Sammy when he starts sobbing. Sammy argues that no one understood Louie and only thought he was an annoying kid. He criticizes how everyone called him a "bad boy" when he was the best one of them all. The boys wander for an hour, then sit at a curb to watch the rain-flooded dirty sewers.