Tangerine Part 1, Chapter 8 Summary

Thursday, August 31

  • Prescription astronaut goggles. Yup, Paul's got 'em. He's going to wear them to soccer tryouts tomorrow.
  • As he goes with his mom to stow some stuff in their storage unit, she points out all the paint-color and mailbox violations on the houses in their development.
  • She's been appointed to the Homeowners' Association's Architectural Committee, and is totally digging the job.
  • Paul thinks she's going overboard, but she explains to him that she never lived in a nice house growing up, and she just wants to protect their family's investment.
  • When Paul mentions soccer tryouts, she suggests that he call Joey Costello to see if he wants to go running.
  • He does just that, and the two guys hit it off as they run.
  • Joey shows Paul a house that's been struck by lightning three times. He figures it's probably the safest house in the neighborhood now, statistically.
  • Paul has another theory: he thinks the lightning struck them so often because, before construction started on the development, that was the highest ground in the area. The lightning still remembers that, even if the people don't.
  • Joey is looking at Paul a little funny by now. (We probably would be, too.) He tells him he's got to go, and that he doesn't think lightning can remember.
  • Way to stifle your bud's creativity, Joey!