At this point in the novel, Polly’s narration approaches the time period in which the first chapter takes place, when she tells Deming that they’re moving to Florida. As she thinks about this new possibility, she considers it an opportunity to improve her life. “I just think this isn’t the best I can do,” she tells Didi, trying to explain that she’s unhappy in her current life. Unfortunately for her, though, everyone around her doesn’t understand why she wants so badly to leave, perhaps seeing that this kind of change won’t bring about any kind of substantial improvements to her life.