Devil- Albright's Building

When Easy goes to see Albright, it is the first time in the novel that he leaves his territory in Watts to venture downtown into an area dominated by white people. Throughout the novel, changes in location within LA's borders are enough to change Easy's behavior. We sense his insecurity and discomfort when he is easily intimidated by the man at the front desk.
"It was a habit I developed in Texas as a boy. Sometimes, when a white man of authority would catch me off guard, I'd empty my head of everything so I was unable to say anything...I hated myself for it but I also hate white people, and colored people too, for making me that way."(58)
Even though Easy left Houston in search of improvement, the past still haunts him. His frequent war flashbacks, his second internal personality, his nostalgic dreams, and the racial tension he experiences are all reminders of things he has done and left behind. Even Mouse can be seen as an embodiment of the past that Easy attempts to forget but is hesitant to let go of.