Describe the steps that lead up to the narrator taking the professor's identity.

The narrator gives up on his old life and decides to just keep driving. He throws his phone away. He meets the professor at a hotel, and offers to give him a ride to his car, so that he can meet the pick-up truck. The professor is pleased, and talks to him about his paper and the conference he is going to. When they get to the car the professor realizes he forgot his wallet, and asks the narrator to go back for it. When he eventually finds the car again, the professor has disappeared but the car is still there. Inside is an empty briefcase and a manila envelope. The manila envelope has the professor's reservation for a hotel in New Orleans inside, as well as the transcript of the presentation he intends to give. The narrator takes these and drives on. Without thinking, he heads towards New Orleans. In a cafe he tells a woman that he is a professor, and he enjoys the respect he gets. It makes him feel important, and he feels almost alive again. He travels to New Orleans and looks for a hotel, but none are available. So he checks into the Marriott as the professor. He keeps up the pretense and is soon filling the professor's role by giving his presentation and taking questions.