Carolyn drives through the rain , rehearsing a confession to Lester . Just as Lester and Angela are about to have sex , she admits that she is a virgin , and Lester changes his mind . He instead comforts her and the pair bond over their shared frustrations . Angela goes to the bathroom and Lester smiles at a family photograph in his kitchen . An unseen figure raises a gun to the back of his head , a gunshot sounds , and blood sprays on the wall . Ricky and Jane find Lester 's body , while Carolyn breaks down crying in the closet . A bloodied Col. Fitts returns home , where a gun is shown to be missing from his collection . Lester 's closing narration describes meaningful experiences during his life ; he says that , despite his death , he is happy because there is " so much beauty " in the world .