My Year of Rest and Relaxation

On the train to Long Island, the narrator looks down to find shopping bags, white roses (addressed to Reva), and jewelry; in her Infermiterol-induced blackout, she has been shopping. She remembers neither the shopping nor what station she is supposed to get off at, but one of the train-service crew tells her that her stop is in the New York village of Farmingdale. At the Farmingdale station, Reva drives up; the narrator, who assumes she unwittingly arranged the pick-up while sleepwalking, also gradually realizes with horror that her narcotized self must have agreed to attend Reva’s mother’s funeral, which is today. Her skin crawls at the thought of having to comfort Reva through it—but Reva, who believes the narrator’s attendance is a genuine act of friendship, is moved by the gesture.

They drive to Reva’s childhood home, where Reva’s family is preparing for the funeral. The house is a small ranch-style, and even before entering, the narrator is certain it will be repulsive and “cheap” inside, unlike her parents’ expensive estate. While Reva introduces the narrator to her family, the narrator is surprised that Reva seems unembarrassed at how middle-class her family is. Reva then takes her to her childhood bedroom in the basement so the narrator can nap.