Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

Aven posts a new blog entry about the different kinds of stares she gets from people, which include falsely “blasé,” pitying, uncomfortable, curious, and—worst for Aven—the looks from little kids who think she is a “freak.” Connor, who lives nearby, visits Aven. Aven is pleased by his effort, because she has learned that Connor does not like to go out in public, due to people’s reactions to his tics. Aven learns that Connor’s mom and dad used to fight about Connor’s tics and medical bills, and that this is why Connor’s dad left them. Connor’s mom, an ER nurse, works constantly. Connor explains that he cannot hold his tics inside, and why brain surgery is not an option. Aven tries to cheer him with jokes. They chat with Henry, who talks about rodeos and the theme park owner, Joe Cavanaugh, as though Aven knows them. Connor and Aven investigate the mysterious shed. Inside they find a box that Aven thinks was once labeled “Cavanaugh.” It contains a sketchbook from 1973. The book holds skilled drawings of horses, a necklace, Stagecoach Pass, and tarantulas.

After school, Aven and Connor question Henry about the cryptic comments he made about the park and its owner the last time they spoke to him. When Henry suddenly notices that Aven has no arms, Henry asserts that she used to have arms, and must have lost them in a riding accident. Aven explains to Connor that Henry has dementia. Connor and Aven theorize about the Cavanaughs, and their speculation turns dark when Connor says they could be dead. Aven lightens the mood by talking about a prank she and her friends pulled on a substitute teacher in fourth grade, which inspires her and Connor to play a new prank. They sneak into the steakhouse kitchen, where they see Josephine, the cook and server who always looks at Aven strangely. Aven and Connor steal two steaks, which they hang inside Aven’s t-shirt. When the cowboy shootout show—a daily performance at the park—begins, Aven pretends to be shot, revealing the meat where her arms would be. Little kids are frightened, and the cowboys complain to Aven’s dad, but Aven’s mom appreciates the joke.

On her way to the school library to invite Connor over for dinner, Aven trips over an African American boy eating lunch in a remote part of the school. She realizes she has tripped over him before, and when she apologizes this time, she sees that he looks “forlorn and pitiful” (90). Aven sits down to eat lunch with him. He is impressed with her skillful use of her toes and says his name is Zion, after a character from The Matrix. Zion does not eat in the lunchroom because the other kids see him as overweight, and he does not like them to watch him eat. Aven explains that she eats in the bathroom for a similar reason—because she knows from a negative kindergarten experience that other kids will think she is “gross” when she eats with her toes. In kindergarten, kids asked Aven lots of embarrassing and offensive questions. Because of negative stereotypes about his body shape, Zion had a comparable experience when he started school. Aven senses that she has made another friend and asks Zion if she can eat with him again. Zion happily agrees.

On the bus home from school, Aven finally has a chance to ask Connor over for dinner. Connor is conflicted: he wants to visit but does not want to stay for dinner. Aven notices that Connor’s refusal to eat with other people is a pattern. She turns the conversation to the Cavanaughs, suggesting that maybe they were murdered, and that there is a killer loose in Stagecoach Pass. Aven theorizes that the murderer might be Bob or Gary, out for either money or revenge. She vows to solve the mystery with Connor, and decides they need to re-investigate the shed. Connor agrees to help.

While they are playing video games in Aven’s apartment, Aven realizes that Connor has more tics when he is nervous. Aven’s mom puts Connor at ease about his tics, but he still refuses to stay for dinner. He reluctantly confesses that he sometimes spits food when he eats. This does not faze Aven or her mom, and Connor wishes his own parents were more accepting. Dad breaks the sad news that Spaghetti may have to be put down, as the llama has not been eating. The four chat about Connor’s love of movies (and his refusal to go to the theater) and Aven’s theory about a murderer. Aven’s parents rehearse the story of her adoption: Aven’s mom saw Aven’s picture online while researching adoption, and knew right away Aven was destined to be their daughter. Dad agreed, and they taught themselves how to care for Aven by researching how other armless people carry out life’s daily tasks. They also taught Aven to care for herself, not to be helpless, as she was in foster care before her adoption.

At school, Connor asks after Spaghetti and Aven is glad to report that the llama is improving. She has been spending a lot of time with Spaghetti, coaxing him to eat and giving him affection. Aven sees Zion walking down the hall and calls him over to meet Connor. She explains that Connor has Tourette’s. The boys share a class together, and Zion knows that Connor cannot help his verbal outbursts. Aven fills Zion in on the mystery of the missing owner of Stagecoach Pass. Zion is alarmed, but Connor assures him there is nothing scary going on. Aven invites them both over to search the shed, and both boys agree to visit on Saturday. As they walk outside together, Aven hears someone fake-cough the word “freaks.”

Aven writes a new blog post about all the comically positive things about not having arms. She will never get in a fistfight or leave fingerprints behind at a bank robbery. She does not have to do push-ups or high fives or play golf. Aven wonders, however, if she is writing the post to convince herself that these are good things. The comments on her other posts—including responses from her old friend Emily—are positive. Connor and Zion visit to explore the shed. To Zion’s embarrassment, Zion’s mom, a bubbly lady in a Wolverine t-shirt and a purple skirt, drops Zion off. She is thrilled to meet Zion’s new friends, and Aven likes her. The three friends explore the shed and discover a box of books about tarantulas and a big old desk with locked drawers. They also find a guitar with the initials A.B.C. Aven thinks the “C” must stand for Cavanaugh.