Beverly, Right Here

Beverly has run away from home before, but this time, she’s not running away—she’s leaving. In flip-flops, she walks by the side of Florida’s major A1A highway. She sees Seahorse Court, a community for people who live in RVs (recreation vehicles or trailers), and she goes into Mr. C’s, a fish restaurant. Beverly loathes fish, but she needs a job. She speaks to Freddie, the blond waitress, who talks to the weary Mr. Denby. He tells Beverly they need someone to bus tables.

In his cluttered, smelly office, Mr. Denby interviews Beverly for the position. Beverly tells him she’s 16, never worked at a restaurant, and dislikes fish. Mr. Denby sighs and reminisces about his wife and three kids in Pennsylvania. He thinks having children is a “tragedy”—it’s impossible to “protect” them.

Freddie makes Beverly a nametag, spelling her name Beveryl. She tells Beverly she doesn’t need skills to bus a table: What Beverly needs is a dream; otherwise, she’ll work at Mr. C’s forever.

Beverly walks down A1A toward the shiny phone booth. She wants to call Buddy, but he’s a dog, and he’s dead. Instead, she calls her mom and tells her she’s fine and has a job. Her mom is derisive, but she doesn’t seem “too drunk,” and Beverly can hear the flick of a lighter. She asks her daughter where she is, but Beverly doesn’t answer.

After Beverly hangs up, she sees the phrase, “[i]n a crooked little house by a crooked little sea” (19) etched into the glass. She touches the words and thinks about Raymie (her “best friend”) and how a sea can become crooked. A sea can’t be crooked—it’s nonsensical.

Beverly walks past Seaside End Motel and to Seahorse Court when a woman waters her flowers in front of her pink trailer. Inexplicably, Beverly walks toward the waving woman, who keeps exclaiming, “Howdy.”

The woman, Iola Jenkins, has wrinkles on her face and wears big glasses. She battles arthritis, and Beverly must help her turn off the hose. Iola asks about Beverly’s family. Beverly thinks about her mom, Joe Travis Joy, and her dad, who left when Beverly was seven. Beverly claims she has no “kin,” but Iola doesn’t believe her. She suspects Beverly is hungry and invites her inside for a tuna melt. She wonders if Beverly can drive and play bingo.

Iola owns a large Pontiac, but, at her children’s request, she signed a contract stating that she’d abstain from driving it. Earlier, Iola confused “the reverse” and “the forward,” crashed it into Bleeker’s Insurance, and dislodged a few bricks. Beverly assures Iola that she’s driven cars since she was in the fourth grade. As her mom battles alcoholism, her uncle taught her. Iola inquires about a driver’s license; Beverly lies and says she has one. The truth: In a year, she qualifies for a learner’s permit.

In the car, Iola sees that Beverly can back up fine. Beverly also shows she can go forward. She puts her foot on the gas and thinks of the poem “High Flight” (1942) by the Royal Canadian Air Force pilot John Gillespie Magee Jr. The poem starts, “Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds” (Magee, John Gillespie Jr. “High Flight.” Poetry Foundation, 1941).

Iola asks about Beverly’s living situation. Beverly says it’s none of her business. Iola agrees to house Beverly if she drives her to the grocery store and bingo at the VFW center. Iola just met Beverly: What if Beverly is an outlaw? Iola trusts people, and, touching Beverly’s arm, she says they’ll learn to trust and help each other.Iola owns a large Pontiac, but, at her children’s request, she signed a contract stating that she’d abstain from driving it. Earlier, Iola confused “the reverse” and “the forward,” crashed it into Bleeker’s Insurance, and dislodged a few bricks. Beverly assures Iola that she’s driven cars since she was in the fourth grade. As her mom battles alcoholism, her uncle taught her. Iola inquires about a driver’s license; Beverly lies and says she has one. The truth: In a year, she qualifies for a learner’s permit.

In the car, Iola sees that Beverly can back up fine. Beverly also shows she can go forward. She puts her foot on the gas and thinks of the poem “High Flight” (1942) by the Royal Canadian Air Force pilot John Gillespie Magee Jr. The poem starts, “Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds” (Magee, John Gillespie Jr. “High Flight.” Poetry Foundation, 1941).

Iola asks about Beverly’s living situation. Beverly says it’s none of her business. Iola agrees to house Beverly if she drives her to the grocery store and bingo at the VFW center. Iola just met Beverly: What if Beverly is an outlaw? Iola trusts people, and, touching Beverly’s arm, she says they’ll learn to trust and help each other.

After getting milkshakes, Iola and Beverly return to Iola’s trailer, and Iola gives Beverly a flowery nightgown, which Beverly begrudgingly puts on. The nightgown, the tuna melt, the fish restaurant—Beverly is making myriad “questionable decisions.”

The pair play gin rummy, and Nod, the big gray cat, joins them. There once were Blynken and Wynken cats, but they’re “gone.” Beverly dislikes cats, but Nod, who typically dislikes humans, likes her. She thinks about Buddy’s funeral. Her friend Louisiana labeled him “the Dog of Our Hearts” (36).

Iola turns her porch into Beverly’s room, with the couch becoming her bed. In the middle of the night, she wakes up and notices Iola without her wig or glasses. Later, Nod, purring loudly, sleeps on top of Beverly’s hair.