Chapter 6: Greta Meets Big Swiss Face to Face

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

The chapter opens with Greta listening to a new therapy session without transcribing, using Gorilla Tape to repair the antique windows in Sabine’s house. Sabine interrupts, complaining about the noise, and they go outside to observe a roost of black vultures that have taken over a pine tree. Sabine identifies them as South American black vultures, calling a group a “committee.”

The therapy session between Om and Flavia (Big Swiss) reveals Flavia’s frustration with Om’s ignorance of endometriosis and his clumsy attempts at sex therapy. Flavia describes her husband Luke’s passive habit of watching video game playthroughs, his collection of prison-made shivs, and her own dissatisfaction with their sex life. She recalls initiating sex after drinking, noting Luke’s preference for period sex and his occasional choking, which she does not consider violent. Flavia admits she has never experienced an orgasm and dissociates during sex, observing herself from outside the window. Om suggests she try a Magic Wand vibrator.

Later, Greta takes her dog Piñon to an unofficial dog park. A pit bull named Jelly Roll attacks Piñon, and a woman (Flavia) lifts the pit bull by its hind legs to free him. Greta recognizes Flavia’s voice as Big Swiss. They talk; Flavia reveals she is a gynecologist, and Greta introduces herself as “Rebecca” (stumbling over “Regreta”). Flavia’s dog Silas is a wolf-like hybrid. After small talk, they agree to meet for drinks at a bar called Farmacy the following evening. Greta feels guilty for deceiving Flavia.

Key Events

Greta listens to Flavia’s therapy session while repairing windows.
Sabine points out a committee of black vultures roosting in a pine tree.
Flavia criticizes Om’s ignorance of endometriosis and describes her sex life with Luke.
Flavia reveals Luke collects shivs and watches video game playthroughs.
Greta takes Piñon to the dog park; a pit bull named Jelly Roll attacks Piñon.
Flavia intervenes by lifting the pit bull off Piñon.
Greta recognizes Flavia as Big Swiss and introduces herself as Rebecca.
Flavia states she is a gynecologist; they arrange to meet for drinks.

Character Development

Greta: Her compulsion to eavesdrop on Flavia’s private life deepens. When they meet in person, she lies about her name and pretends not to know Flavia, setting up a deception that will complicate their relationship. Her guilt is immediate.
Flavia (Big Swiss): In person, she is direct, observant, and physically capable. Her casual remark about “pussies” (cats) and her gynecology work align with the no-nonsense tone of her therapy sessions. She shows a protective instinct when intervening at the dog park.
Piñon: Greta’s dog is given a rich inner life—he believes he is a wolf, has body dysmorphia, and acts aloof yet attached. His near-strangling by Jelly Roll brings Greta and Flavia together.
Om: The therapist comes across as poorly informed about female anatomy and overly eager to please, reinforcing Flavia’s frustration.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Deception and Unauthorized Intimacy: Greta knows intimate details of Flavia’s life without Flavia’s knowledge. Their first in-person conversation is built on a lie, raising ethical questions about the boundaries of Greta’s job.
The Gaze and Dissociation: Flavia describes observing herself from outside during sex, mirroring Greta’s position as a hidden observer of Flavia’s therapy sessions.
Vultures as Ominous Witnesses: The “committee” of black vultures roosting in Sabine’s tree suggests decay or death lurking in the background, perhaps foreshadowing something in the plot or reflecting the rotting state of Flavia’s marriage.
Animal Metaphors: Flavia is compared to “white asparagus” and her dog Silas to a wolf-coyote hybrid. These comparisons highlight her unusual, striking appearance and the wildness beneath her composed surface.
The Object of Therapy: Om’s recommendation of the Magic Wand and his ignorance of endometriosis critique the commodification of female pleasure and the inadequacy of some therapeutic approaches.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 6 is a turning point because Greta finally meets Flavia in the flesh. What was once a one-sided eavesdropping relationship becomes a real, if fraudulent, personal connection. Greta’s decision to lie about her name and arrange a drink sets the stage for a complicated entanglement. The dog park scene also introduces Flavia as a physically assertive and empathetic person, complicating Greta’s image of her as merely a therapy subject.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Greta lie about her name when she meets Flavia?
Greta panics when Flavia asks for her name because she is shocked to meet the person whose sessions she has been transcribing. She blurts “Regreta” before correcting to “Rebecca” to avoid being recognized, both to protect her job and to maintain her secret access to Flavia’s private life.
How does Flavia’s description of her sex life in therapy contrast with her composed, capable demeanor at the dog park?
In therapy, Flavia reveals deep dissatisfaction—orgasmless, dissociative sex with a husband she finds passive and physically off-putting. At the dog park, she appears confident, strong, and in control, able to lift a pit bull and command respect. This contrast suggests she compartmentalizes her private unhappiness.
What role do the vultures play in the chapter’s atmosphere?
The vultures are described as a “committee” that sunbathe and defecate on their own feet. They inject an eerie, foreboding element into the rural setting, subtly echoing themes of decay, waiting, and passive observation—qualities that also characterize Greta’s hidden listening.