Singer makes it a habit to write letters to his friend Spiros even though he remembers that Spiros doesnÂ’t know how to read. He convinces himself that Spiros actually might be able to read or might get someone to read the letters and then sign the meaning to him. One night Singer goes to his shop to engrave a piece of silver and when he is finished, he writes a long letter to Antonapoulos. He tells him of his visit to their old house and all the things that have changed about it. He tells about the four friends, the one who watches, the one who speaks clearly sometimes and sometimes makes no sense at all, the girl who likes music who "knows I am deaf but thinks I know about music," and the black man who is sick with consumption but has no hospital that will accept black patients. He writes about the awkward evening when the four of them visited him at the same time. He thinks their rudeness to one another was unfortunate, writing, "You know how I have always said that to be rude and not to attend to the feelings of others is wrong." Singer ends his letter in despair at the length of time they have been apart and his sense that he cannot go on without seeing his friend soon. He closes his eyes and sees only the face of Spiros. Then he closes the letter, writing, "the way I need you is a loneliness I cannot bear" and "I am not meant to be alone and without you who understand."

Back in town, Singer keeps up his nightly walks until the rumors about him become rampant. Everyone thinks he is one of them.

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