Having reached total blindness at about 65 years of age, he writes in third person: "There was a time when he did tap routines; now he taps down the street with his cane." He sings to himself: "Everybody loves a chorus boy. I used to be a twinkie. Everybody loves a chorus boy, But now I am a blinkie. Tap-tap-tap." And he ends his book with: "It's a sunny day with blue skies and birds twittering in the trees, and an old crone passes him and says he's not missing much. Bill smiles and continues to walk straight ahead."