13

Summary

• The chapter describes the backstage environment just before a performance with Duke, Uncle Wallace, and other actors preparing in their own ways.
• Uncle Wallace confides to the narrator that he still gets scared before performances, and they share a quiet moment together before the show.
• The narrator reflects on the differences between her acting ability in the roles of Emily in "Our Town" and Mae in "Fool for Love," feeling more connected to Emily.
• Duke is immersed in his role as Eddie in "Fool for Love," and the narrator struggles with Mae, feeling inadequate compared to her peers and understudies.
• Uncle Wallace is seen struggling during the performance, missing his stage marks and clenching his teeth, signaling something is wrong.
• During the second intermission, Uncle Wallace vanishes, leaving the narrator concerned but hesitant to inform production staff.
• Uncle Wallace returns looking ill, but he persists in performing his role, leaning on the narrator for support during the third act of "Our Town."
• The performance concludes with a haunting reminder of mortality as Uncle Wallace and the narrator speak their lines while contemplating death.
• After the show, Uncle Wallace collapses, coughing blood on the narrator's dress, and is promptly attended by doctors from the audience before an ambulance is called.
• The cast reacts to Uncle Wallace's condition, with the narrator feeling shameful for not intervening sooner.
• Duke comforts the narrator, explaining that Uncle Wallace's condition was due to his life choices and that she couldn't have saved him.
• The next day, the narrator's lackluster performance in rehearsal for "Fool for Love" is attributed to the trauma from the previous night.
• Joe takes over the role of Stage Manager after an understudy named Lee refuses to step in.
• The narrator visits Uncle Wallace in the hospital and learns about his personal life and family.
• Uncle Wallace's health and eventual death in 1988 are revealed, with the narrator reflecting on her memories with him.