Herzog Chapter 8 Summary

  • Herzog meets with June and gives her a big hug. He thanks Asphalter for bringing her and leads June through a tour of the Museum of Science.
  • Herzog talks to June about how her life is, trying to see whether there are any signs of abuse. But everything looks fine. June is a happy kid and she seems to like Val a lot. Herzog finds himself surprisingly okay with this, as long as June's happy. June also mentions that her mom (Madeleine) has instructed her not to talk about Val. Herzog is also annoyed to learn that Madeleine told June that he didn't want to live with them anymore.
  • After the Museum of Science, they head to the aquarium.
  • When they're done at the aquarium, Herzog loads June in the back of his car and pulls out of the parking lot. But he has to break suddenly for traffic, and a truck rear-ends him really hard. Herzog blacks out and finds himself lying on the grass with cops standing nearby. He's alarmed to realize that they searched his body and found his pistol in his pocket. Now he's going to be charged with carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. He tries to bargain his way out of it, but nothing doing. Once he makes sure that June is okay, he goes with the police officers to the station.
  • During the trip to the station, Herzog has a flashback about one time in his childhood when he was grabbed and molested by a man. This is a pretty intense out-of-nowhere revelation. But Herzog has lived his life ever since as though nothing happened.
  • The police call Madeleine to come pick up June. She is horrified to find that Herzog was carrying a gun. She figures that Herzog planned on killing her (Madeleine) and tries to use the situation to put herself in a better position for the divorce settlement.
  • Herzog argues with her for a while and she eventually leaves with June. Herzog finds out that he'll have to post bail and go to court in the future. He doesn't have the money to get out, so he calls up his brother Willie for the money.
  • Willie shows up and bails out Herzog. It's clear that Willie is worried about the guy, especially seeing as how Herzog looks awful after being in a car accident. Willie forces him to see a doctor, and sure enough, Herzog finds out that he's got a broken rib.
  • Willie asks Herzog how he's doing, and Herzog says he's fine. But Willie doesn't believe him for a second.
  • Herzog decides once and for all that he's going to leave Madeleine and Val alone to raise June. He'll see his daughter whenever he can, but he won't meddle with the new family anymore.