Chapter 11

John calls for an ambulance and smoothly handles the police who arrive after Mr. Pignati is taken to the hospital. He tells the police that he and Lorraine are Mr. Pignati's children and answers every question with an air of truthfulness, even when he makes up the answers. John finds the two cops to be as stupid as Dennis and is amazed when they act anxious to leave. He figures they want to get back to the business of 'œcollecting their graft for the week.' Lorraine is angry at his comment and hopes there will be no policemen available when he needs help someday. She is then quick to blame him for Mr. Pignati's heart attack, because as she says, he never knows when to stop. John becomes defensive and accuses Lorraine of sounding just like his mother. That is a stinging insult and a consequence of how upset they both are. They lock up the Pigman's house and go to the cemetery for a beer to calm their nerves.

The next day, the two friends cut school again to go to the hospital to visit Mr. Pignati. They bring him flowers from three different graves in the cemetery. They are allowed in his room, because they lie again and say they are his son and daughter. Mr. Pignati is sitting up and ready to talk. He tells them to keep his house keys, because they may want to go over after school for wine and chocolate-covered ants. Lorraine is quick to refuse this sign of his generosity, but John shuts her up and takes the keys. Mr. Pignati's greatest concern involves Bobo: he wants them to stop by the zoo and visit the baboon. They have to leave at this point, because the visiting hours come to an end. Lorraine is glad to leave, because she thinks hospitals are exactly what graveyards are supposed to be like. 'œThey ought to bury people in hospitals and let sick people get well in cemeteries.'

John continues his narrative in this chapter by saying that Lorraine blames him for everything that happens from then on. They decide to go Mr. Pignati's house and Lorraine gets the bright idea to make spaghetti. While she is cooking, John goes into Mr. Pignati's closet and tries on some of his clothes. It makes him feel like the actor he wants to be and not just plain old John Conlan anymore. Lorraine thinks he looks fantastic and leaves the kitchen. In a few moments, she steps out dressed in Conchetta's clothes, wearing makeup, and sporting an ostrich feather in her hair. John thinks she looks beautiful and tells her so. For the first time, they kiss each other and John knows that they are not acting anymore. They sit down to a candlelight dinner and toast the Pigman.

Notes:
The reaction of the two teens after Mr. Pignati's heart attack is typical of the differences in their personalities: John is basically a pessimist who sees the worst in people while Lorraine always looks and hopes for the best. They are both alike, however, in how they are willing to lie to protect each other and Mr. Pignati.

John's willingness to keep the Pigman's house keys is a foreshadowing of bad events to follow as is his comment that Lorraine blames him for everything that happens in the end. However, these ominous feelings are mitigated by the tender moment they share with each other at their candlelight dinner. John and Lorraine are only now beginning to see the stronger feelings that have been building in them since they met the Pigman. he has brought out their willingness to share their love for each other just as he and Conchetta had done.