Wilson emerges from prison with few possessions and little money. The system makes it difficult for many returning citizens to remain free, let alone thrive. Wilson succeeds first by “finding a good living arrangement” (277). He avoids Division Avenue and steers clear of bammas. Instead, he stays with Erick Wright and his wife Camille for four months.

Wilson says that freedom feels “overwhelming” in both good and bad ways (283). Wilson relishes every experience, from eating shrimp to the peace in Erick’s backyard, but he also feels like he is failing. College is expensive. Women laugh at him because he has no car. Mr. Edwards encourages Wilson to make a budget and seek financial aid. Wilson takes the advice and works on his Master Plan. Meanwhile, Darico, now nearly 17, is serving five years in prison on a variety of charges, including auto theft and drug possession. Wilson resolves to “go from broke and homeless to the man my son needed me to be” (287).