Jeffrey learns that Two Mills is segregated — the East End is where the black people live and the West End is where the white people live, and the dividing line is Hector Street. After being chased by John McNab and his group of friends, the Cobras, Maniac ends up in the East End and is confronted for the first time by Mars Bar. Maniac is oblivious to the racial differences that exist between them. Rescued by Amanda Beale, Maniac goes to the Beale house. After revealing to Mr. Beale that his home is the deer shed at the zoo, the Beales invite Maniac to stay with them. He finally has a home with an address.
Maniac is happy with his life. He fits in with the Beales just like he belongs there; however, he is unaware of the prejudice that exists between the blacks in the East End and the whites in the West End until an old black man calls him "Whitey" and tells him to "go home." The situation escalates when graffiti is written on the side of the Beale house ("Fishbelly go home.") and when Amanda's coveted Volume A of the encyclopedia is stolen, cut up, and used as confetti when Maniac untangles Cobbles Knot. When he realizes that his presence in the Beale house is hurting the Beales, Maniac walks down the center of the street, between the blacks and the whites, out of town.
Maniac is found, hungry, scraped up, and dirty in the buffalo pen at the zoo by an old man named Grayson. Grayson takes him to the baseball equipment room in the band shell. He feeds Maniac, buys him some clothes, and lets him stay in the baseball room. Maniac and Grayson become close friends. As they get to know each other, Maniac finds out that Grayson played baseball in the minor leagues and doesn't know how to read. Maniac teaches Grayson how to read and Grayson teaches Maniac about baseball. Maniac also enlightens Grayson about black people, telling him that they are just like white people, a surprise to Grayson. Maniac and Grayson are happy together and once again, Maniac has a home with an address he makes up: 101 Band Shell Boulevard. They happily spend the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays together, and five days after Christmas, Grayson dies in his sleep. Maniac is alone again. To deal with his grief, Maniac runs wherever his legs will take him.
