Mungo searches for his mother around the pawnbrokers’ shops where Jocky works. He meets Jocky, who catches him waiting and looking around. Jocky explains that he broke up with Mo-Maw when he found out she has kids because she hadn’t told him for weeks about them, which he found wrong. Jocky also reveals that he doesn’t love Mo-Maw—love is a nuisance and what he wants is company. Jocky doesn’t like how much Mo-Maw drinks.

Mungo visits James in the doocot, but they can’t touch or kiss because James’s father is still around. Ever since James has been hanging out with Ashley, his father has been kind and generous to him. His father even offered to find him a job working oil rigs with him. James invites Mungo to come over on Saturday, but Mungo tells him about the fight with the Catholics that Hamish demands he participate in. James tells Mungo that if he fights the Catholics, James’s own people, he won’t speak to Mungo again.

The narrative flashes forward to Mungo in the countryside with Gallowgate. After the third night at the camp, Gallowgate agrees they can return to Glasgow. Mungo has been pretending to enjoy Gallowgate’s sexual advances, pumping Gallowgate’s ego.