WeaVer begins to beat Kerouac, pulling out his hair and punching him repeatedly, leading to Carr nicknaming her "Slugger". Kerouac is gifted a large coat by his friend "Deni Bleu" (Henri Cru), which he wears with Ginsberg and Orlovskyto meet Salvador Dali. As Christmas 1956 approaches, Kerouac leaves to visit his mother Gabrielles-Ange Kerouac. Before making the journey south however, he visits Gregory Corso in DC, smoking cannabis and drinking heavily. After falling asleep on the bus, Kerouac's pack appears stolen, and with it is his novel Angels of Desolation (a working title for what would become Desolation Angels), his book of poetry, and an early version of Tristessa, along with his gear and some clothing. This loss moves Kerouac to tears. After entering a brief state of suicidal depression and considering the nature of God, it is revealed that Kerouac's bag has been shipped to his destination ahead of him, much to his relief. Kerouac describes Christmas and New Year's celebrations with his mother, with whom he shared a complex, co-dependent, and often disturbing relationship. Promising to return in the fall to help her move to her own house, he leaves again for New York. She warns him that his friends, particularly Ginsberg and Burroughs were "...going to destroy [him]!", a sentiment that his father shared prior to his death. Meanwhile in New York, Gregory Corso is sleeping with Helen Weaver, or so Kerouac believes. Upon returning to New York, Kerouac discovers that Ginsberg has arranged for Kerouac and other Beat Generation figures to be photographed together for Life Magazine, which frustrates Kerouac, who attends the photoshoot intoxicated. Weaver breaks up with Kerouac, apparently upon the advice of her psychoanalyst, who views their relationship as harmful for her psyche. Weaver explains that her psychoanalyst believes that Kerouac has taken advantage of her, and affected her ability to get adequate rest. Kerouac replies by accusing the psychoanalyst of trying to seduce Weaver himself. Kerouac is then introduced to "Alyce Newman", real name Joyce Glassman, with whom he begins what he describes as "...perhaps the best love affair I ever had". Glassman is a renowned author, and her romance with Kerouac came right at the beginning of her career. Despite her reputation as a feminist writer, Kerouac claims that Glassman offered to dye her hair, to satisfy his dislike of blondes. Kerouac meets Weaver again while drunk in a bar, and