Most of the kids at Dalriada are just kids, a little bit of this personality or that characteristic, and a common sense of trying to find their way in life. What sets Devin and Alice apart from the other kids Scott meets at Dalriada is they each have a strong personal sense of mission, of purpose. Furthermore, the things they’re trying to accomplish are hard.
As Scott was walking home down Riverside Place, he saw Devin approaching, and was immediately self-conscious. She was dressed in baggy warmup sweats and carried a large dance bag over her shoulder. Devin noticed Scott, smiled, and waved. He waved awkwardly and immediately broke eye contact. He spoke to her as they approached each other. “Looks like you’re moving out.”
“This?” she said, pulling on her bag. “Just dance class.”
“So, what’s the big deal with dance class? What are you learning?”
“I’m auditioning in September for the junior corps de ballet for the Nutcracker in Boston. Mrs. Argyll is the best teacher. I wouldn’t be able to do this without her.”
“Wow! How do you even do that?”
Devin suddenly grabbed his arm. “I’m so sorry about Mrs. Bannister! That must be so hard!” Scott couldn’t avoid her imploring eyes and he just gazed back helplessly.
“It’s okay,” he managed to croak.
She gripped his forearm and squeezed it for emphasis. “I can’t imagine it. I had a P.U.D. go in the hospital or nursing home or whatever, but never pass away. I can’t imagine it. And your whole story! It’s incredible!”
He was mesmerized by her. “Yeah.”
“Did she really hit you with a frying pan? Oh, my God!” Scott never had a girl look at him that way. Or seem that interested in him. Or make such emphatic physical contact. She slid her hands down his arm and squeezed his hand. “How amazing! Just crazy, random, bizarre stuff! I think you’re handling it great. How’s your eye, by the way? I think it looks better, doesn’t it? Well, I can’t be late. See you!” She continued her walk to Dalriada.
“Hey!” he called after her, “When’s that ballet? I want to see it.”
“The Nutcracker? Christmas, silly!” She laughed that completely wrong chortle of hers, something like three snorts and a hiccup.
Mere mortals don’t have the mental toughness and physical discipline to dance ballet. If asked to introduce herself, Devin would say simply, “I’m a dancer.” There is no Plan B for her.
Alice’s problem might well be that she has no Plan A. Any of a number of professional paths would likely lead her to success. Yes, she’s intelligent but more importantly she has learned how to learn and has a knack for bringing disparate disciplines together. Training to become a docent at the Cedar Mills Historical Society has been a milestone for her giving her wide latitude for research into the town’s history, sociology, art, manufacturing, genealogy, and theology.
You could be convinced by her introverted nature that Alice lacked self-assurance, but you’d be wrong. In fact, if you think you’ve figured Alice out, you’d be way wrong.
Alice was preparing herself to say something. It wasn’t easy for her. [Scott] and Alice had hung out together, they’d played baseball together, they’d worked on her docent preparation, so she knew him well enough to know he had some good points and some not-so-good points, too. And she knew herself well enough to know that there probably wasn’t a guy in her grade who was going to ask her to the prom.
Why? Because at that age, what boy would have the nerve? If you didn’t know Alice, the way Scott did, what would you talk with her about? “How about that Einstein, huh? Relativity! What a hoot.” It was a travesty; she was such a wonderful girl. Scott could joke around with her and not feel like he had to memorize a bunch of formulas and facts and dates to have something to talk with her about. And, when she smiled, she was pretty. So, what if she never made eye contact with anyone, she was just a little shy that’s all.
“Scott? You know I’m in the high school group now, along with Margaret.”
“Yeah, I heard. I guess we won’t be seeing much of you two anymore. Is there a coach, like Beatrice, for the high school kids?”
“I was wondering—I can’t see myself having a boyfriend, and—”
“Aw, you’ll have plenty of—”
“I don’t want a boyfriend, I guess I should say. I think it’s silly at our age.”
“Good point. I guess I’d have to agree.”
“But I would like to go to the Sophomore Dance next spring, and, well, it’s a long way off and I’d understand if you said “no,” but would you—”
Scott stopped dancing and looked at her, astonished. Typical Alice, she didn’t make eye contact with him.
“Absolutely,” he said.
“Really? I mean, I’d understand if—”
“We’ll have a great time. I might even learn how to dance before then. No, I promise you I’ll learn how to dance.”
“But what if you have a girlfriend?”
“I don’t want a girlfriend. I think it’s silly at our age.” Alice was stunned and Scott beamed as he danced with a little extra flair. He had been asked on a date by a girl a year older than him, which must mean he’s pretty mature. Then he realized that thinking he was mature was absolute proof of how immature he was.
It takes some time for Scott to feel comfortable around either Devin or Alice. They’re different. Girls like Beeboo and El-Beth are just naturally easy to establish a basis for rapport. They’re active participants in the teen socialization process. Without the group’s devotion to their frequent pick-up baseball games Scott wouldn’t feel comfortable around Alice and Devin. There would be no common ground for an easy friendship to develop. He would simply be out of his league.
And yet, it is their striving to do something hard that he finds fascinating about Devin and Alice. Scott has no idea what it takes to have a personal mission, but he’s going to find out.
What Then? 