Chapter 8: 7: Chris – Summary and Analysis
⚠️ 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 Chris, a pharmacist, dealing with an unusual customer: a young woman whose boyfriend takes her birth control pills to avoid her being “crabby.” Chris calmly explains that the medication is unsafe for men and lists side effects such as breast tissue development and erectile dysfunction. The woman leaves in shock.
Afterward, Mike and Larissa appear at the drive-through with Woofarine, the dog Chris co-parents with Larissa. They invite Chris to join them for lunch and plan a walk the next day with Jesse. Chris reflects positively on the dog-sharing arrangement and on Larissa’s beauty and humor. Later, during his break, Chris receives a call from the cemetery: his mother’s headstone is finished. This news brings a wave of finality and regret about his parents’ deaths.
Key Events
- A customer asks Chris to change the refill contact number on her birth control pills to her boyfriend’s phone number, revealing that he has been taking them for a year.
- Chris explains why this is dangerous, listing side effects. The customer leaves abruptly.
- Mike and Larissa visit the drive-through with Woofarine and invite Chris to lunch and a future walk.
- Chris internally praises Larissa’s attractiveness and their text exchanges about the dog.
- Chris receives a phone call confirming his mother’s headstone is ready, prompting reflections on loss and his parents’ deaths.
Character Development
- Chris: Shows professionalism and empathy in the pharmacy scene, even when shocked by the customer’s request. His willingness to co-parent the dog reveals a desire for connection without full commitment. His reaction to the headstone call exposes lingering grief and guilt, adding depth to his seemingly easygoing exterior.
- Mike: Acts as a supportive friend, casually including Chris in social plans. His ease with Larissa suggests a mature, unjealous partnership.
- Larissa: Continues to be portrayed as kind, funny, and responsible (sending pictures of the dog). Chris’s admiration hints at his growing feelings.
- Waylon: The pharmacy tech provides light comic relief and observes Chris’s interactions with Mike.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs Actually Evidenced Here
- Unexpected Responsibility: Chris manages a dangerous medication situation and later confronts the final administrative task for his parents. Both moments show responsibility thrust upon him.
- Grief and Closure: The headstone symbolizes the irreversible end of his parents’ lives. Chris’s thought that he would “give every penny to go back in time” emphasizes unresolved pain.
- Connection Through Care: The shared care of Woofarine creates bonding moments with Larissa and Mike. The dog becomes a bridge between Chris and a social life outside work.
- Masking Emotions: Chris’s cheerful interaction with Mike contrasts with the later somber phone call, illustrating his tendency to compartmentalize.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens Chris’s character beyond the affable pharmacist. It introduces his backstory of parental loss, a key emotional wound that affects his choices. It also progresses his relationship with Larissa and Mike, setting up future social dynamics. The absurd pharmacy encounter provides levity while underscoring Chris’s professional ethics.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does Chris handle the customer’s request about the birth control pills, and what does this reveal about his character? Chris remains calm and professional, clearly explaining why the boyfriend should not take the medication. This shows he is knowledgeable, empathetic, and willing to intervene for a patient’s safety, even when the situation is absurd.
2. What does the interaction with Mike and Larissa tell us about Chris’s current social life and emotional state? Chris eagerly accepts their invitation, indicating he values these connections. His internal praise of Larissa and the dog-sharing arrangement suggest he seeks low-stakes intimacy and companionship while avoiding deeper commitments, possibly due to unresolved grief.
3. Why is the phone call about the headstone significant, and what does Chris reveal about his feelings? The call marks the final task for his parents. Chris admits he would pay to go back in time, revealing deep regret and unresolved sorrow. This moment shows that beneath his lighthearted behavior, he still carries heavy emotional weight from his parents’ deaths.