The 57 Bus: Part 3: Reunion Summary & Analysis

One Saturday in early December, a guy named Dan Gale sits in Sasha’s living room. Sasha’s family has invited Dan for brunch, and much of the last several weeks have been a “whirlwind.” He is just an “ordinary guy,” a construction worker on a bus, but when he put out the fire that day, he became “a hero, a Good Samaritan.” Debbie and Karl catch Dan up to speed on Sasha’s condition, and when Sasha finally come downstairs, Dan stands up. “Oh, wow,” he says. “How you doing, man?”

They all thank Dan for putting out the fire, and he awkwardly responds, “Man, I’m sorry I couldn’t’ve done more.” He tells Sasha that he has seen them on the bus for quite some time, “always with a book in hand.” Dan says that he once put another fire out years ago when his friend caught fire after a car accident. “Who’d even imagine it was a skill he’d need to use a second time?” Slater writes. Dan asks Sasha what they want to happen to Richard now that he has been arrested and charged. “It’s really hard to know what I want for him,” Sasha says.