The Lathe of Heaven Chapter 4 Summary

  • Up next: more alternate future history lessons.
  • So it turns out that people in this reality aren't really big on cars anymore. As the population grew, people started having giant automatic parking garages—you know, like the ones we have now—but then the car went the way of horse-drawn buggy.
  • Now those old garages are converted office buildings. And that's where Heather Lelache works.
  • Heather Lelache is a lawyer who seems as tough as nails, and George (our wimpy protagonist) has come to her for help.
  • It turns out that George thinks Dr. Haber is ordering him to dream specific dreams. The problem is, there's nothing technically illegal about this.
  • George tries to explain the whole thing to Heather, but she is not getting it at all. Frankly, she thinks that he's totally nuts… but at least she won't say it to his face.
  • It looks like George and Heather are going nowhere, but then George mentions that Dr. Haber's machine is experimental.
  • Heather's found her angle: if Dr. Haber's machine hasn't been approved, then she can get the therapy sessions to stop.
  • Heather and George make a plan for her to attend one of George's therapy sessions without Dr. Haber knowing that the two of them are in cahoots.