Bluefish

Velveeta is no longer writing to Calvin but about Calvin (and other topics). Jimmy says he’s moving to Texas, and Velveeta’s mom is “freaking,” even though he’s made this same claim before with no follow-through. Parent-teacher conferences are tonight, but Velveeta’s mom has never gone before and isn’t going to start now. Velveeta’s mom is disappointed that her daughter is smart because this means she’ll probably leave her. Velveeta wonders if she leaves whether she’ll turn out mean and wealthy like Sylvia.

Ms. Gordon teaches Travis how to use text-to-speech technology, which reads his Social Studies books to him. He can put any text into the software, even handouts from other classes. At lunch, Travis instructs Bradley to act “normal” around the high-school bullies, which will probably make them bother him less.

After school, Travis passes the bullies by the bridge on his walk home but once again avoids a fight. At home, Travis asks if Grandpa would take him and a friend to the swamp near their old house on Saturday, even though they don’t live there anymore. Grandpa agrees, as long as Travis isn’t planning to use drugs or have sex. Travis won’t tell Grandpa his friend’s name.

Velveeta’s midterm grades are the worst she’s ever gotten: straight C’s. If Calvin were alive, he’d reprimand her. Velveeta loves that Travis protects Bradley. She’s decided to start doing homework again, especially since Travis does it now.

Travis invites Velveeta to hang out on Saturday after her library shift but doesn’t explain where they’re going. Bradley invites Travis and Velveeta to an “anti-dance” at his house on Sunday since none of them are going to the actual dance.

Connie gives Velveeta a key to the library so she can have a place to study and a safe and happy place to go, even when it’s closed to the public. However, she’s not allowed to tell anyone about it or bring anyone else there.

Travis and Grandpa pick Velveeta up at the library, and to Travis’s surprise, Grandpa already knows Velveeta because she often goes to the bakery where he works to pick up food for Connie at the library. Grandpa likes Velveeta and thinks she is funny.

Travis takes Velveeta into the swamp and explains that this was his special place that made him feel better. She thinks it’s lovely. Velveeta shares that her special place was Calvin’s trailer, but he died recently from a heart attack while sleeping, and now his daughter has locked her out of the trailer and taken her scarves, which were gifts from Calvin. Travis shows Velveeta Rosco’s rabies tag and shares that he’s also grieving over Rosco, who wasn’t a human but was still very important.

Travis and Velveeta practice reading for a while. Travis explains that it bothers him when people tell him to “try,” so Velveeta refrains from doing this. At the designated time, they meet Grandpa back at his truck.

Jimmy actually did move to Texas. Velveeta’s mom didn’t even ask where she’d been all day after hanging out with Travis in the swamp. Velveeta thinks her mom is a “lier-downer,” as opposed to a “sitter-upper” like Liesel from The Book Thief, Velveeta, and Travis. She’s thankful for Calvin because he prevented Velveeta from becoming a lier-downer, and now that Calvin’s gone, Travis prevents the same.

Travis and Velveeta go to Bradley’s house for the “anti-dance” party. His mom cooks lunch, and then they hang out in Bradley’s room. He has two computers and a ton of books. One of the books is One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, and Travis shares that he used to be called a “bluefish” at his old school because he was in a special reading group with this name. “Bluefish” was shorthand for “stupid kid.” Velveeta and Bradley analyze the bluefish on the cover and argue that he’s not stupid but just different (in a cool way). They both want to be bluefish, too. They draw bluefish on their hands.

Velveeta and Travis walk home. Velveeta never wants anyone to drive her home because she doesn’t want people to see where she lives. Velveeta and Travis agree that the mementos (the scarves and rabies tag) from their deceased loved ones don’t make the loved ones “less dead.” However, they make them not as “gone.” Both kids feel like Calvin and Rosco influenced them, and their influence is not undone through death. They still carry their loved ones with them and are grateful for them.

Travis shares that his parents died when he was three, and Grandpa’s wife died before he was born. As they part ways, they do a bluefish wave to say goodbye. Travis leans over the bridge and puts his hand in the water and makes a “fsh” sound. Kids used to do this to make fun of him at his old school, but now, the meaning has shifted into a proud one.