LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Water by the Spoonful, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Substance Addiction
Internet Communities and Human Connection
Family
Freedom, Identity, and Dissonance
Summary
Analysis
Chutes&Ladders sits in his office with the water wing Haikumom sent sitting on his desk in front of him, inflated. He speaks to someone on the phone, trying to sell them his car, telling them they need to come look at it as soon as possible.
Although it is never explicitly stated how long Chutes&Ladders will be in Japan, the fact that he sells his car (a daily necessity) to pay for the ticket indicates that it will be a long stay.