Lucille, in this passage, endures what is to her mind the ultimate humiliation: Sylvie engages in a public expression of her love of the transient way of life by napping on a park bench. The moment represents a shattering in relations between Lucille and Sylvie, but oddly, Ruth seems to want to get even closer to Sylvie, still hoping that Sylvie somehow holds the answers to all the things Ruth worries about: who she is, who she will become, and why. Ruth idolizes Sylvie, and longs to be like her, whereas Lucille wants to distance herself from the both of them.