How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
So I dined alone [...] It was a little odd to be without Katz after so any days of constant companionship, but agreeable as well, for the same reason. (1.11.98)
At a certain point, Bryson starts missing Katz when he's gone. And it's not just Stockholm syndrome. These two men are good companions even when they don't get along, as each looks out for the other's best interests. That's a valuable thing to have on the Appalachian Trail.
Quote #5
When we woke in the morning, dawn was only just leaking in but he had already gone. [...] We never did learn his name. (1.12.95)
This is par for the course as encounters with other hikers go. Although they touch each other's lives in meaningful ways, they never form relationships that match those between long-term companions like Bryson and Katz.
Quote #6
I told Katz where I thought I'd left it [...] "I'll get it for you," he said without hesitation and started to drop his pack. I could have wept again—he really meant it. (1.12.49-50)
That's our dude. Even though Bryson talks some serious trash about Katz at times (and with good reason, usually) he finds himself moved by the lengths Katz will go for the people he cares about. You might not want to get stuck in an elevator with him, but you'll sure want him at your back when things start going down.