What triggers Paul to run away to New York? How does he do so?

Paul runs off to New York after stealing a large sum of money from his employer. Paul has spent the whole of his life in a fantasy world. As a staunch nonconformist, someone who doesn't seem to belong in society, he only ever feels comfortable in a world of his own making. He dreams about a life in which he, like the wealthy elite of Pittsburgh he so much admires, enjoys a lavish, opulent lifestyle.
But because Paul is unwilling or unable to do anything practical that might actually help his dreams come true, he tries to realize his fantasy life by way of a shortcut—hence the theft. With the money he steals from his employer, Paul is briefly able to indulge in the lavish lifestyle of a wealthy young man-about-town, staying in a fancy New York hotel, wearing expensive and fashionable clothes, and generally living out his fantasies.