In hindsight, Tom downplays the “whole Jessica Feeney thing” that happened during a few weeks at the start of his seventh-grade year at St. Catherine’s Catholic school (1). Tom knows that class became chaotic but admits he may have imagined it because he was thinking about other things. On Friday of the last week of September, the last “normal” day of class, Tom and his friend Jeff Hicks stop at Jeff’s house after school. Jeff enjoys asking weird questions and changing subjects randomly. Jeff’s mom works at a hospital, and Jeff pranks Tom by drinking what he claims is a glass of blood, but it’s really cranberry juice. Jeff asserts that his Uncle Chuck owns a restored classic 1960s racing Cobra. Tom loves red Cobras; he builds Cobra models and reads about them in magazines. Jeff offhandedly comments that his uncle will be visiting in two weeks, and Tom can ride in the Cobra. Tom is glad Jeff is his friend because most of the time Tom is overlooked.

Students are seated alphabetically by last name in Mrs. Tracy’s seventh-grade class, so Tom Benson has the first seat in the first row by the door.