Familiaris

On May 27, 1958, John writes that Gar and Trudy welcomed a healthy son, Edgar, who has a voice disorder. Unable to stay on the farm, John watched from the top of the hill as Page cared for the dogs. A few days later, John buys brandy and takes LSD, intending to die at the beach. A storm and an owl—Nyx—prompt him to help Henry Lamb’s dog during a storm, rekindling John’s will to live.

In June, John reflects on Nyx and decides to write his life story. The writing process proves challenging, and on July 3, after buying a typewriter, John drinks too much and throws his typewriter off the balcony, later retrieving it.

On July 10, John agrees to help Gar with a new litter, and they disagree on a dog named Jug. John notes his diet of sandwiches and fish sticks, and he helps his neighbors with refrigerator issues.

On July 19, John takes Jug from the farm, leaving a note for Gar and Trudy. Though dogs aren’t allowed in his apartment, John sneaks in Jug. Gar drops off supplies, and John smuggles Jug in and out using a suitcase. After Jug gets diarrhea and eats a sock, requiring a vet visit, John’s frustration with Jug’s neediness grows.

In March, John writes about Jug, who is maturing, and in May, John reflects on his relationship with Mary, noting how Mary was always at least one step ahead of him. He questions if Mary stayed in the boarding house to teach John how to take care of himself, somehow knowing she would die first. He is angry at their lost time. John has the voicewood panel from Elbow’s house, and he taps it occasionally to hear Mary’s voice.

Familiaris, John’s life story, is not going according to plan; John intended to focus on the dogs, but the story is centering on his life with Mary.

On August 21, John writes that Durand found Jug and evicted them. A few days later, Frank visits; he recently visited Elbow, who is back in California and slowly working with his dogs. He tells Frank about being evicted, and they argue. John has not told Frank or anyone else that Mary died because of the necker knob. After being kicked out of John’s apartment, Frank purchases the building, so John and Jug can stay in their apartment.

John takes dogs from the farm and temporarily places them with the other tenants in his apartment building for training. On November 14, John listens to music from a nearby school and reminisces about when they named the farm Relaxalot.

On May 2, John writes about how much he misses Mary. In June, John and Jug walk to an old ski jump, and when they are leaving, John has a strange medical episode that feels like being struck by lightning. He lies down on the ground and sleeps for a while, then they slowly walk back home, stopping several times to rest. The same thing has happened a few times, but John hasn’t been to the doctor yet. He plans to go on Monday after spending time with Frank, who is coming to teach John how to ride a motorcycle.

John writes that he is tired and that Jug is behaving oddly protective. He ends his letter by telling Mary he misses her and hopes to dream of her.

Frank goes to California to tell Elbow and Audie of John’s passing.

John’s funeral is held outside so that dogs can attend. Claude attends but stays quietly in the back. Several people speak about John; Elbow tries to speak but struggles, so Frank takes over and gives the final speech. Frank calls John aggravating and explains he learned to cook to get John to be quiet; he wishes he could cook for John again. Frank is catering the funeral, and the first course is home fries.

The funeral director sits with Frank and Elbow and drinks, keeping watch over the casket all night while Elbow carves the phrase “Suppose you could do one impossible thing” on the inside of the casket (966). In the morning, Gar adds the helmet Ricardo made John and the voicewood panel with Mary’s voice to John’s casket. John is buried, and Ida watches from a distance. She has changed so much that Frank does not recognize her.

Frank, Elbow, and Audie drive to Chicago together, and Elbow and Audie take Jug with them. As they drive, Elbow gets the idea to make prosthetics with his voicewood, and he asks to borrow Frank’s hand and leg.

After the funeral, Gar visits with clients, the Berglunds, to discuss a new placement. Harold Berglund complains about their current dog, Tiss, but he loves her and is heartbroken that she is approaching death.

That night, Ida goes outside and lets Nyx take control. Nyx howls, and all the living Sawtelle dogs hear her howl.