Surviving the Applewhites: Chapters 20–30

Jake had told him and told him that just because he had come to live at Wit’s End it didn't mean he was Destiny’s brother, but Destiny was impervious to minor details of fact.

Then he’d built a model, which had also been left in the hall during the night, followed by the renderings—the drawings that Zedediah and Archie were using to build the parts of the set they could build in the wood shop.

Grocery runs were no longer a haphazard occurrence.

Once, after Wolfie had gotten loose again and torn open a huge burlap bag full of rice that Govindaswami had set on the ground by the truck while he took the rest of his purchases inside, Jake had seen the man looking speculatively at the goat.

There were curries, chutneys, and wonderful soft flatbreads.

Even for a four-year-old, Destiny’s boredom threshold seemed extraordinarily low.

"Thank heavens for the Mother Abbess," she muttered as she left.

Over Jeannie’s shoulder he saw a billowing plume of white smoke.

Over Jeannie’s shoulder he saw a billowing plume of white smoke.

“Fire!" he yelled.
In the ensuing panic the youngest of the child actors fell off the stage.

Randolph, of course, after decreeing that Destiny was never to have matches, lighters, or even paper in his possession again ever in his entire life, blamed Jake.

E.D. had very little time to revel in being a hero.

The Traybridge Little Theatre is a historic landmark and we came perilously close to losing it. As for injuries, our liability insurance does not—

Jake had just drifted into a reverie about Jeannie Ng, who had taken Cordelia’s place as the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, when he heard the yodeling refrain of “The Lonely Goatherd.”

A few moments later Destiny showed up, Hazel walking docilely at his side.

As always, Mrs. Montrose’s hair was elegantly coiffed.

As the serving dishes of rice and lentils, chutney, flatbread, and yogurt sauce were passed, he stayed resolutely focused on serving himself and passing them on.

"...And thanks to all the powers that be for the joining here of family, friends, and colleagues, for this abundance of food, of companionship, of”—here he looked directly at Randolph and raised his voice meaningfully—“tact and good sense."

Destiny finished his chicken, topped with liberal portions of yogurt sauce, drank the rest of his Kool-Aid, and got up again.

There was an edge to her voice that bordered on the hysterical. "Besides, nothing will take these stains out. We’ll just...we’ll just...” Her voice dwindled and stopped.

There followed a skirmish—the butterfly landing on the floor, Winston charging after it and pouncing just as it flew up.

Winston had flopped down a considerable distance away and was eyeing him warily.

Sleep was relegated to a nap here or there. Jake gave up on his hair altogether; he needed every moment of sleep he could get.

Two versions began to emerge, each with its own hero and its own villain. One had Randolph Applewhite as a crusading New York radical attempting to destroy the grand old traditions of the South while Mrs. Montrose staunchly defended them.

Two versions began to emerge, each with its own hero and its own villain. One had Randolph Applewhite as a crusading New York radical attempting to destroy the grand old traditions of the South while Mrs. Montrose staunchly defended them.

Two versions began to emerge, each with its own hero and its own villain. One had Randolph Applewhite as a crusading New York radical attempting to destroy the grand old traditions of the South while Mrs. Montrose staunchly defended them.

The man with the clipboard began flipping through his papers, looking more and more harried.

"I'll say!" someone called out. Destiny, undaunted, finished his line, sang his good-bye, and exited.

Already she could see in her mind’s eye the scene as the Mother Abbess began singing the final reprise of "Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” the other nuns joining in and lighting the way for the von Trapps to begin their climb over the Austrian Alps into Switzerland and freedom.

“‘The use of candles to light the last scene set the final rendition of "Climb Ev'ry Mountain” apart and provided a powerful metaphor. The von Trapp Family Singers throughout their musical career lit candles rather than cursing the dark.’”

“Mature performance from a promising teen in a small but pivotal role,” one of them said.

"Convincing both as adolescent suitor and Nazi,” another reviewer wrote.

“With commanding stage presence, Jake Semple turned in a performance equal to any in this impressive production. We expect to hear more from this young man with the mellifluous singing voice.” Jake had looked up "mellifluous.” Flowing with honey or sweetness. Never had anyone mentioned sweetness and Jake Semple in the same sentence before.

“The youngest von Trapp, transformed from a girl named Gretl to a hat-obsessed little boy named Hans, was played with uncommon gusto by Destiny Applewhite.”

She was planning a project on goat husbandry to take the place of the completed butterfly project.