▁foc using ▁in ▁school ▁and ▁failing ▁her ▁courses . ▁After ▁he ▁kne els ▁and ▁propos es ▁to ▁Li ' l ▁Bit , ▁v ow ing ▁to ▁divor ce ▁A unt ▁Mary , ▁Li ' l ▁Bit ▁turns ▁him ▁down ▁and ▁cut s ▁him ▁out ▁of ▁her ▁life ▁for ▁good . ▁She ▁never ▁sees ▁Pe ck ▁again ▁after ▁she ▁leaves ▁the ▁hotel ▁room . ▁ ▁Li ' l ▁Bit ▁returns ▁to ▁the ▁present ▁to ▁explain ▁what ▁became ▁of ▁Pe ck ▁after ▁she ▁left : ▁He ▁turned ▁to ▁alco hol ▁after ▁years ▁of ▁sob ri ety , ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁his ▁job , ▁his ▁marriage , ▁and ▁his ▁driver ' s ▁license . ▁He ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁die ▁after ▁d run ken ly ▁falling ▁down ▁a ▁flight ▁of ▁st airs ▁in ▁his ▁bas ement . ▁Li ' l ▁Bit ▁reflect s ▁on ▁why ▁her ▁uncle ▁may ▁have ▁mol ested ▁her , ▁wondering ▁if ▁someone ▁did ▁it ▁to ▁him ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁child . ▁ ▁Li ' l ▁Bit ▁has ▁one ▁more ▁memory ▁to ▁share : ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 2 . ▁An ▁ 1 1 - year - old ▁Li ' l ▁Bit ▁f ights ▁with ▁her ▁mother ▁about ▁going ▁on ▁a ▁seven ▁hour ▁car ▁trip ▁to ▁the ▁beach ▁with ▁Uncle ▁Pe ck . ▁Mother ▁is ▁w ary ▁of ▁him , ▁but ▁finally ▁rel ents , ▁telling ▁Li ' l ▁Bit ▁that ▁she ▁holds ▁her ▁responsible ▁for ▁any ▁mis de eds . ▁Li ' l ▁Bit ▁s its ▁in