How It All Goes Down
June 16, 1992
- The wheels on the bus—and in Charlie's head—go round and round. Charlie rides the bus home on the last day of school and reminisces about bus rides from the past.
- Also, his brother has come home from college. In fact, the whole family has come to town for Charlie's sister's graduation.
- They all attend the graduation, and despite Charlie's grandpa's racist remarks, everything goes pretty smoothly for a Charlie family function.
- That night, Patrick invites Charlie to go out with him and Sam, but Charlie has to wait until his family leaves.
- Charlie writes a very beautiful paragraph about the tunnel he drives through on the way to the dance club. It might even be a metaphor for something. Life, perhaps. Or a car commercial.
- All Charlie's friends are at the dance club when he finally gets there.
- Charlie gets to share a dance with Sam. From what he's told us, this is his first dance ever. How did he know he was a bad dancer if he never tried? And, really, is anybody a good dancer? Every contestant on So You Think You Can Dance notwithstanding?
- Anyway, after dancing, Charlie gives everyone all the gifts he got them. We're sorry, but where does this kid get all his money from?
- His gifts to Patrick and Sam didn't cost a thing (Charlie's love don't cost a thing, we guess). He gives them all the books he's read and enjoyed over the past year.
- When they read the cards he gave them, it finally sinks in that they're really leaving, and Charlie starts crying.
- Sam takes him into the kitchen to calm him down. She tells him that she's scared to go to college, but she will call him if it gets to be too much. She wants him to do the same if high school becomes overwhelming.
- On the last day of school, Charlie approaches the kid who had the locker next to him and introduces himself.
- "All he said was, 'I know'" (4.13.134).