Petey

In the morning, Calvin insists on getting himself ready for the day. Trevor busies himself by reading the newspaper, not wanting to stare at or place pressure on Calvin as Calvin makes the concerted effort required for him to prepare himself. His process takes Calvin an hour, and Trevor is impressed by the tenacity and patience with which Calvin goes about his routine. Despite all the effort required for him to accomplish a task that would take someone without his disabilities only a few moments, Calvin reflects that he is fortunate in that he does not have as difficult a time as Petey.

Trevor is slightly apprehensive about surprising Owen, but he decides to proceed with the meeting anyway. Collecting Petey from the nursing home, Trevor, Boyd, Petey, and Calvin walk in the direction of Owen’s apartment. Calvin knows they are going to surprise someone, but he does not know who it will be. When Owen descends from his apartment and finds Calvin outside the building, he is overcome with emotion. Calvin asks almost immediately why Owen did not visit Petey and Calvin more than once, and Owen explains that it hurt too much to see Petey and Calvin in Warm Springs without the ability to help them any longer. Calvin asks why Owen could not have adopted them, and with tears in his eyes Owen explains that he was too old to take care of both men.

Trevor expresses his disbelief that Warm Springs would separate the two men, knowing how enduring and mutually beneficial their relationship had been. Owen explains that the facility was forced to relocate several thousand patients because of deinstitutionalization mandates and that most people went back to the counties in which they had lived before they were originally hospitalized. Owen believes the best possible course of action was taken on Petey and Calvin’s behalf when the decision was made to send them to a nursing home and a group home, respectively. After a quiet moment, Petey re-initiates their gunfight sounds, and Owen explains to Trevor they are mimicking the sounds of their toy pistols. Owen praises Trevor for his efforts on Petey and Calvin’s behalf, recognizing how impactful it must have been for Calvin and Petey to see each other again after all that time. When Trevor brings Petey back to his room, Petey gestures to the closet, encouraging Trevor to rifle through the belongings inside. At the bottom of a cardboard box he finds what Petey had been looking for: his toy pistol in its holster. 

In the fall, Trevor tallies the final amount of their fundraising efforts, realizing they are $1,000 short of their goal. He does not know how to tell Petey they still have so far to go. Trevor calls the medical supply company in Billings and asks if they would be willing to provide the wheelchair to Petey at cost instead of making a profit from the sale. While the manager of the company is reluctant, he remembers Trevor and is aware of how hard the young man is trying to help his friend. Eventually, the manager agrees that as long as Trevor arranges an evaluation from a physical therapist, he will accept the $2,000 that Trevor has raised as full payment for the chair. Georgia, the physical therapist, agrees to fulfill her part of the agreement now that Trevor has the funds in place.

One day after school, Trevor and Shawna go to visit Petey, and at first Trevor thinks Petey is asking them to go fishing, but Shawna realizes Petey is telling them to go have fun together without him. Trevor waits patiently for several weeks for the wheelchair to be shipped. It is customized specifically to Petey’s needs and the particulars of his condition. To celebrate its arrival, Petey and Trevor dress up as Batman and Robin for Halloween, outfitting the wheelchair with painted cardboard so it looks like the Batmobile. For Christmas, Trevor gives Petey a framed plaque with a Bible verse on it, which is coincidentally the same verse from the book of Isaiah as the framed verse given to Petey by Joe back at Warm Springs when Petey was still a teenager. Petey asks Trevor to read the verse several times throughout the day, and when he corrects Trevor that it should be “pigeons” instead of “eagles,” Trevor doesn’t understand, but he does somehow know Petey encountered this verse before at Warm Springs. When Trevor is invited to play basketball with some classmates one afternoon, Trevor explains he needs to go see Petey, and his new friends ask to come along. Trevor asks what Petey wants to do, and again Petey tells Trevor to go have fun with his friends without him. In February, Petey once again becomes sick, his symptoms similar to those he endured when he had pneumonia and the flu as a child. Checking on him during the night, Sissy notices Petey has vomited and that he is bleeding internally. An ambulance is called to the nursing home. 

Dr. Waters, an anesthesiologist, is about to go home when he is informed a patient is coming in who may require surgery. The surgeon, Dr. Cross, evaluates Petey and learns that in addition to pneumonia he has a severely bleeding ulcer. Due to Petey’s age, his physical disabilities, and the fact he has no family, Dr. Cross declines to operate and sends Dr. Waters home. The following day when Dr. Cross checks on Petey again, he finds Petey’s room filled with friends. Trevor confronts him, asking why he will not operate. Petey speaks, and Trevor explains to the doctor that Petey just said he does not want to die. Dr. Cook consents to reevaluating Petey’s labs and agrees to operate. He calls the irritated Dr. Waters, who does not see the point of operating on Petey, back to the hospital. After the operation, Trevor remains at Petey’s side whenever he is able. He visits each day, and Petey’s condition gradually worsens. Nearly a week later, Petey’s nurse explains the extent of Petey’s decline and the severity of the circumstances. Trevor asks Petey if he is afraid to die, and Petey asks why he would be. Petey asks Trevor to stay with him, and Trevor tells Petey if there is another life, they will be reunited in a place where Petey will be free from pain, unencumbered by physical disabilities.

Trevor takes note of the late hour and, knowing his parents will be worried about him, reluctantly leaves the hospital. He asks the nurse on duty to call him should there be any changes in Petey’s condition. When the phone rings in the middle of the night, Trevor leaps out of bed and rushes back to the hospital. He does not notice his parents are also leaving the house and have gotten into the car to follow him.

Near dawn, Trevor arrives and rushes to Petey’s side. Sissy explains his prognosis is not good. Trevor assures Petey he is with him. Petey tells him again to “go fish,” or, to go have fun, to go off into the world and enjoy his life even though Petey cannot continue to do so with him. Trevor asks if Petey will be his grandfather. Petey has no family of his own, and Trevor has no family other than his parents. Petey agrees, and Trevor rests his head on Petey’s chest as Sissy places Petey’s arm over Trevor’s back. Trevor’s parents watch from the doorway of the room. Sissy and Trevor reflect on the realization that Petey’s life has been about teaching others about living. As Trevor embraces Sissy in their grief, he turns to his parents, and his parents tell him they realize they have missed out on time they could have been spending together as a family. Trevor’s parents vow they will correct this change and commit to not taking one another for granted again. They promise they will no longer move; they will stay in Bozeman permanently. As he goes outside with his parents to talk some more, he turns back and says, “I’m going fishing, Grandpa Petey” (279).