I'm sure you're familiar with this. A crime so out of the ordinary--so egregious--catches the public's attention. People are up in arms demanding the ultimate penalty for the perpetrator--or at least locking him up for a substantial period of time if not for life--even if he is a juvenile whose cognitive development is not complete. Spurred on by news and social media we make snap judgements based on incomplete knowledge and hold on to them tenaciously.
I can give you an example from Penobscot County where I live. A woman starved her five-year-old daughter to death. The public's verdict was unanimous: she's a monster deserving the death penalty or life in prison without possibility of parole. Never mind that something other than inate evil could have driven her to this act.
In The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime that Changed Their Lives Dashka Slater shows young readers that behind what seems like a cut and dried hate crime there are layers upon layers of complexity.
Sasha lived in a middle class neighborhood and attended a very small private school. They had been diagnosed early on with Aspberger's. They were cognitively advanced with a special passion for languages but socially awkward. They did not identify with masculinity or femininity and used they/them pronouns.
Richard lived in a less privileged neighborhood and attended Oakland High, a public school with high truancy and mediocre graduation rates. He was in his third high school. He'd spent a year in a group home after an arrest for fighting. Although he's been in trouble, he's trying to clean up his act with the help of a mentor. His mother had been a very unprepared 14-year-old when she gave birth. She worked food service and wanted better for her son.
The two teens' paths would never have crossed but for the 57 bus, a vehicle that many students took to get home from middle or high school. On a fateful day in 2013 Sasha falls asleep wearing a gauzy white skirt. Richard is clowning around with friends. He flicks a lighter and touches it to Sasha's skirt.
"This is a true story. All the people in this book are real, although in some cases pseudonyms or initials were used. Young people are identified by first name only.
The details of the story were pieced together from a variety of sources, including interviews, documents, letters, videos, diaries, social media posts, and public records...Information from firsthand accounts was corroborated with official records whenever possible, unless those records were sealed or are not available to the public."
Slater has certainly done due diligence in crafting a book that is as relevant for adults as it is for the teens that form its target demographics. It challenges readers to develop and utilize critical thinking skills about horrific crimes rather than jump to conclusions. Although it is a slightly older book, it is well worth the effort it takes to locate and borrow or buy it.
On a purrrsonal note, I had a wonderful Tuesday. The predicted rain that would have canceled everything did not arrive. I had lunch with Amber in her back yard. Really good vegetarian Chinese food. The kids in the children's garden were so cute. I had fun taking pictures. The Darlings ice cream truck was right on time. The ice cream 🍦 was really special in a way it couldn't be if I could have it any old time. People at the concert were asking if I got my ice cream to which I'd reply that if the Darlings truck came and I didn't get ice cream they'd better call 911. The concert was super--a duo playing evocative music from my teens. Lots of good photo ops and conversations. And I got home in time for some blissful outside reading near my beautiful flowers.
A great big shout out goes out to my older daughter, Amber, who is also my favorite horror story author.
Jules Hathaway
Sent from my Galaxy
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