Gardner feels elated to have a roof over his head: ‘it was just this bare little key. But it was ours’’ (258). However, he and his son are still cautious about money; for example, they have to share a plate of food between them at the local diner, Mosell’s. Once Christopher is potty-trained, he is able to attend the Day Care Centre with the “Happyness” sign that gives the book its title.

While Gardner is mainly focused on fatherhood and his career, he acknowledges the romantic and sexual void in his life. He relates that he has sex with Jackie when she comes to visit Christopher; however, as far as Gardner is concerned, it is “a literal fuck you” because he has still not forgiven her for doubting his abilities (267).

At work, he learns a new principle of selling stocks from his colleague Gary Abraham: to find out what the customer wants to buy and supply them with the closest available equivalent. Abraham advises Gardner to find his unique strength as a stockbroker and Gardner decides that he is gifted in being able to handle volatility. On a day when the Dow Jones goes over 1000 and all the other stockbrokers want to sell everything, he has the strength and presence of mind to stay calm, knowing the market will open again.