Tangerine

Erik informs Paul and Mom that Mike Costello was struck by lightning during afternoon football practice. Erik also tells them that “his little brother freaked out. He went crazy. He kept trying to take off Mike’s shoes” (50). Paul is both stunned and saddened for his friend, Joey. As he carries in groceries, he sees Erik and Arthur outside laughing. He moves closer to the patio door so he can hear them: They are making fun of Mike’s last moments, saying he got “Mohawked,” as the strike singed off some of his hair. Paul feels sickened by this, realizing that his Mom doesn’t notice their antics. As he sees it, Erik, and Arthur benefit from Mike’s death: “Now Mike is dead. But the Dream lives on” (52).

An uproar ensues over Mike’s death. Mom wants practice cancelled, while Dad wants to keep the Erik Fisher Football Dream alive at any cost. Still, school goes on, but soccer practice is lackluster, and Paul thinks the team isn’t very good. His mind wanders as he tends goal, and he wonders how he would feel “if Erik was the body at the undertaker’s now” (54). He concludes that “I would feel relieved. I would feel safer. But I would feel sorry, too” (54). Mostly, he would feel remorse at not getting the full story about how he lost most of his eyesight.

Mom calls a meeting of local parents and school officials, including the football coach, to discuss the safety of football practice. The coach points out that some of the students’ future hopes—such as attending college—absolutely depend on the continuation of football, and this includes afternoon practice. Mom finds a recent newspaper article that claims that “[m]ore people are killed by lightning in Tangerine County per year than in any other county in America” (56). The group debates having practice in the early mornings when thunderstorms are not as prevalent.

The coach makes the point that this would be difficult for some students to attend because they depend on the bus to get to school. Essentially, the debate reveals the underlying tensions of socioeconomic status: People like the Fishers can afford to alter plans and move practices, but others—like Antoine Thomas, the star quarterback—cannot. The meeting ends with a decision to poll parents on their preference.

The coach tells Paul he cannot play on the Lake Windsor soccer team. Because of his impaired vision and his IEP, the school’s insurance cannot cover him. Paul is devastated, of course, and angry at Mom for putting him on the IEP. Yet again, he insists there is nothing wrong with his vision. Dad suggests he try to get on as team manager, revealing a lack of empathy that Paul finds appalling. At least Mom is apologetic, promising that “I’ll never mention your eyesight to anyone again” (64). Paul appreciates her words, even if he cannot bring himself to say so.

At the public visitation for Mike Costello, Paul is confronted with viewing a dead body for the first time. Afterward, he talks to Joey, who asks Paul if he wants to go to the local carnival with him tomorrow after the funeral. While Paul is shocked that Joey would want to go, Joey explains that his parents tell him that life must go on, even in the face of tragedy. He agrees to go, thinking about what he should have said to his classmate, Kerri Gardner, who approached him earlier to compliment him on his soccer skills.

Mom and Dad are arguing about football practice again: Dad wants Erik to attend morning practice rather than the funeral, which Mom believes is inappropriate. Dad triumphs this time around, and Erik goes to practice.

Later, Joey comes by so that Mom can drive him and Paul to the carnival. This will be the first time that Paul gets to see the town of Tangerine proper. Joey remarks that there is a “gross” smell in the air, but Paul loves it: “That’s the citrus. Something is in bloom now” (70). He likes the thought of the old tangerine industry and the old packing plant that Mom points out: “it was also comforting to hear that something around here has a history. That something actually belongs here” (71).

The carnival is relatively uneventful; Paul is unimpressed. However, Joey points out some tough-looking students from Tangerine Middle and warns Paul not to interact with them. Paul is disappointed to see that Kerri Gardner is there with another boy. He wanders off from the group, trying to conceal his hurt.

When Mom returns to pick the boys up, Paul sees a truck with the logo “TOMAS CRUZ GROVES, TANGERINE, FLORIDA” written on it (74). Mom is upset that the driver allows the kids he is picking up to ride in the bed of the truck. Paul, for his part, is feeling sorry for himself. He imagines himself as one of the freaks in the Wonders of the World exhibit at the carnival: “And Eclipse Boy, studied by the greatest doctors in Europe but still a mystery to this day” (75).

At school the next day, Paul and Joey, along with some other boys who had attended the carnival, are called into the office. Apparently, someone vandalized the Wonders of the World exhibit, and they are under suspicion. Paul volunteers that he saw some kids from Tangerine Middle enter the exhibit before they left, remarking that “I think they were soccer players” (77). The adults quickly accept Paul’s explanation, and the boys go back to class.

Meanwhile, the rain is coming down hard, and as Paul and Joey walk back to the portable classroom units, a sinkhole opens. One of the portables is immediately swallowed whole, while others start to join it. Paul and Joey work frantically to pull kids up out of the mud, behaving heroically. Gino thanks Paul and tells him that he’s missed on the team: “You’re the best seventh-grade, four-eyed Martian goalie in the entire country” (81). Paul returns home, muddy and exhausted, to tell his Mom what happened.

Paul’s grandparents call to say that they’ve seen the sinkhole disaster on CNN, though Paul is disappointed at how small it looks on the television. He thinks, “I faced down danger today, maybe even death” (83). Yet, he is still afraid of his brother and his henchmen, Arthur. Still, he does realize that “today I wasn’t a coward and that counts for something” (84).

There will be a special meeting to discuss how the school year will continue Friday evening. In the interim, Paul surveys the damage. The field which once held the portables has been declared a disaster area along with part of the bleachers lining the football field. Paul notes, “Erik Fisher, the soon-to-be-famous placekicker, has just lost half his audience” (85).

Because of the disaster, Dad is promoted to Director of the Civil Engineering Department. As it turns out, his former boss was neglectful and corrupt, allowing for “the most relaxed building code in all of Florida” (86), according to newspaper reports. This means that the era of multi-million-dollar developments in Tangerine is likely over. Paul’s Dad simply ceases to speak of his boss in any way: “But that’s Dad. You’re either at the center of his world, or you’re nowhere. There is no in-between” (87).

At the assembly, the plan for the rest of the school year is announced: Students have the choice to continue at Lake Windsor, following a modified and staggered schedule so that classrooms can accommodate all students, or they can attend Tangerine Middle. Paul is thrilled, as he can attend Tangerine Middle School and lose his IEP. This is a new beginning for Paul; now, he has the chance to play soccer for the team.