- One Sunday afternoon Coalhouse leaves Sarah to drive back to New York. On the way back he has to pass a volunteer firehouse.
- The volunteers tell Coalhouse he's driving on a private road and that he has to pay toll. The firehouse Chief arrives and also tells Coalhouse to pay the toll, which is twenty-five dollars.
- Coalhouse runs off to get a policeman, who tells him the volunteers are just messing with him. Coalhouse goes back to his car and finds a tear in the top and a pile of human poop in the back seat.
- The police arrive. The volunteers say the car was blocking the firehouse. The police tell Coalhouse to forget the whole thing and be on his way. Coalhouse refuses, demanding his car be repaired.
- Coalhouse is arrested. Father comes to the police station to post bail, and the next day, Coalhouse comes to the house and explains the incident to Father, Mother and Younger Brother. Coalhouse pays back Father and says he intends to get a lawyer.
- The next day Younger Brother goes to the firehouse, where he sees that the car has now been pushed into the mud and "thoroughly vandalized."