The Misfits

Chapter 22 covers the dialogue in Bobby’s phone call to Kelsey. Bobby calls Kelsey several times but keeps hanging up the phone. When Kelsey finally answers, Bobby claims his phone is broken. He pauses and hesitates several times while talking to Kelsey. Finally, Bobby asks her if she has any ideas for his self-portrait assignment for art class because she is really good at art. Kelsey says she is thinking of doing her self-portrait in the style of Andy Warhol’s pop-art portraits. Another idea is to do her self-portrait in the style of Chuck Close, by creating a large portrait made up of smaller pictures. Kelsey suggests Bobby choose an artist he likes and model his self-portrait in that style. She also says she doesn’t normally talk so much. Before they hang up, Kelsey says she is glad Bobby called.

Bobby can’t stop thinking of Kelsey saying, “I’m glad you called, Bobby” (223) at the end of their phone call. At school on Monday, Bobby wears his favorite shirt and hopes Kelsey will approach him at his locker, but Kelsey only smiles and waves briefly at Bobby.

At lunch, Addie continues to work on her speech for the student council elections while wondering whether Colin knows they are romantically-involved. Joe mentions Bobby and Kelsey, adding that it is good to hear she likes him. Bobby points out that Kelsey still mainly talks to Joe, but Skeezie responds that this proves Kelsey likes Bobby—Kelsey barely speaks to Bobby because she likes him. Joe says it is similar to how he knows DuShawn likes Addie. Skeezie explains: “DuShawn is DuShawn, okay? The only way he knows to get the message across to Addie that he likes her is to nail her with spitballs and slip whoopee cushions under her butt” (226). Kelsey, being so shy, is probably even more shy around a boy she likes.

Addie interjects to ask Skeezie if he thinks Colin likes her. Skeezie says Colin is a mystery—on the one hand, he showed up at the flagpole, but on the other hand, he turned down her invitation to the Candy Kitchen and won’t talk about the dance. Skeezie wonders if maybe Colin has trouble going out with Addie because he is popular and Addie is unpopular. Joe compares their relationship to West Side Story, a musical based on Romeo and Juliet in which two people from different communities fall in love. Joe starts singing a song from West Side Story. Roger Elliott, a school bully, starts to yell at Joe to shut up but stops speaking abruptly. The group realizes Roger stopped himself from calling Joe a homophobic slur the way he normally would have. The group realizes that the No-Name Party may be having an effect after all. 

On Tuesday, Bobby goes to his part time job at the department store. Since their conversation about his mom’s death, Mr. Kellerman is much nicer to Bobby. Aware that Bobby is distracted, Mr. Kellerman asks what’s on his mind. First, Bobby claims he is having girl troubles, but eventually, Bobby tells Mr. Kellerman about the No-Name Party. Mr. Kellerman shares that he was called names as a kid too. Mr. Kellerman wonders if he would have grown up to be braver if he wasn’t called names, adding, “‘We’re all so ready to believe the worst about ourselves, we just accept them without even thinking about what they mean or even if they’re true’” (232).

After work, Bobby goes to Addie’s house to help her write her campaign speech. On the day of the student council elections, every presidential nominee will give a speech in front of the school. Before Addie can speak, Bobby takes some paper and writes out his own ideas for the speech. Addie asks Bobby to read what he wrote. When Bobby finishes, Addie says, “That’s the speech, Bobby, and you’ve got to be the one to give it” (233). Addie explains that her speech is just a bunch of notes, whereas Bobby is sharing his own story. Bobby says he can’t give the speech—according to the rules, the presidential candidate gives the speech. Addie reminds Bobby that they created their own third party—they’ve already broken the rules. Addie assures Bobby that she, Skeezie, and Joe will all be there to support him.