Ordinary People: Chapter 22 Summary & Analysis

Conrad decides to attend a swim meet at school. Unfortunately the team is doing poorly; for a moment he regrets leaving the team. After the meet he tiptoes through the slushy parking lot to get to his car, but on the way he hears his friends complaining about the match and about their coach. Truan complains that, to their annoyance, Salan constantly compares the team to Buck, "the all-time great swimmer of the world." Too little too late, someone spots Conrad and cautions the group to be quiet.

Embarrassed, Lazenby and Truan try to make small talk with Conrad. But Stillman emerges and cuts in, mocking Conrad bitterly about his car and relationship with Jeannine. Lazenby tries to calm the brewing conflict, but an insult from Stillman pushes Conrad over the edge. He snaps and hits Stillman in the face. The group scrambles to pry the two apart as they throw punches. After a while they are separated, and Conrad retreats to his car to sit alone.

Once in his car Conrad realizes that he's lost his keys, but Lazenby soon appears with them in hand. He gets into Conrad's car, demanding that the two talk. He is disappointed that Conrad would allow himself to be provoked by Stillman. Conrad doesn't take Lazenby's words well. Lazenby asks Conrad why he insists on dealing with his struggles alone; he doubts whether the two of them are still friends. He also admits that he misses Buck just as much as Conrad does; the confession takes Conrad by surprise. They sit in painful silence for a moment, and then Conrad excuses himself. Driving off, he is determined to keep control of himself and his feelings.

To his relief, Conrad comes home to an empty house. He washes the blood off of his jacket, but notices a stubborn spot on his shirt. Not wanting Beth to ask questions about it, he struggles to scrub it clean. After tidying up he heads to the kitchen to make a TV dinner and some coffee, but all the while flashbacks of the fight swirl around him. The phone rings, and Conrad imagines that Stillman's father has called to explain that his son's nose and jaw are broken. As guilt sets in and the flashbacks continue, Conrad punishes himself by gulping down the still-hot coffee. He takes his clothes out of the dryer and, in spite of his need to move around, decides to sit in the living room in stillness.