Chapter 5 summary: Lost
Wes (Author)
Wes’ mother learned that Wes was being put on academic and disciplinary probation because of his bad grades, absence from classes, and his involvement in an incident with a smoke bomb at school. To add to her disappointment, Shani came crying to her saying that Wes had punched her in the mouth, although it was only an accident. Wes knew his mother would be upset and was expecting her to yell at him, but he was shocked when Joy came to his room quietly and slaps him across the face. To avoid showing pain and surprise, Wes remains motionless and only watched his mother, resulting in another slap. Joy leaves Wes’ room heartbroken that Wes seemed so far from her and made the decision to send him to military school.
Wes is entered into Valley Forge as a new student, or plebe, and displays an aggressive attitude to make it seem like he was ready to take on anything the school had to offer. In reality, Wes was confused and ultimately felt betrayed by his mother’s choice. Wes had tried to run away four times within the first four days of arriving and learned that there was a train station outside school grounds that could take him home. However, he could never find it. Eventually, his squad leader, Sergeant Austin gives him a map to the train station saying that if Wes didn’t want to be there, they didn’t either.
That same night, Wes packs his belongings and sneaks out of the school in the middle of the night. He follows the map, which leads him through the unfamiliar forest surrounding the school. Wes soon became lost and scared and broke down crying. At that moment, Sergeant Austin emerges with the rest of the squad revealing that it was all just a trick. They return to the school building, and he was sent to Colonel Batt’s office. Even though plebes weren’t allowed to call their homes until a month, Colonel Batt made an exception knowing that Wes wouldn’t make it through without it.
Wes calls his home and begs his mother to let him come home, but Joy says that Wes had to give the place a chance and too many sacrifices had been made for him to quit after only four days. In order for Wes to be able to go to Valley Forge, Joy had asked every family member and friend for money, but she still came up short. Wes’ grandparents then decided to give her the rest of their money to help pay for the first year. The next day Wes sees Colonel Batt talking with one of the men that brought Wes back to the school the night before. Colonel Batt told Wes that the man wanted to speak with him. Wes felt the respect that was commanded by this man was so much more intense and genuine compared to the guys on the streets back at home. He realized that he wasn’t in an environment like the Bronx, but that expectations were increased and slackers were left behind. Little did Wes know that his mother asked this man, Captain Hill, to look after and mentor him.
“The Other” Wes
Wes attends a high school with his god brother, Red, in West Baltimore, and to entertain themselves, they flirt with girls on the long bus ride there. One day, Wes meets this girl named Alicia, and the soon become very close. Two months later, Alicia informs Wes that she’s pregnant. They went through four tests, all positive, before Wes accepted that it was true. Although Wes didn’t know how much teenage parenthood could affect his future, he did sense that because of his choices, there was no way he could go back.
Wes tells Tony about his situation, but Tony finds it absolutely hilarious. Their mom had their baby brother a year ago, Tony and his girlfriend just had a baby boy, and now Wes and Alicia were about to have a baby. Wes would now have a brother, nephew, and son that would be about the same age. Tony promises not to tell their mother, but he lets the news slip at their brother’s 1st birthday party. Mary was silent at first, but continued with the party, obviously not surprised by the situation.
Even though Alicia was pregnant, Wes still met other girls. Eventually, he continued to see one girl in particular that was in Baltimore often because of her cousin. One night, after realizing how late it was, the girl insisted that Wes should walk her to the door. Outside his house, a man named Ray showed up and began to yell at her for being with someone else. As Wes turned around to walk back inside, Ray grabs him and beats him up. Wes managed to escape, but was enraged and rushes inside to grab his gun. The loud situation causes a crowd to form outside, and one of Wes’ friends grabs his gun and helps Wes chase Ray down. Wes realizes that Ray was the “cousin” of the girl he was with. The two men began to shoot at Ray and eventually, they hit him. Wes returns home and slams the door in the girls face.
Mary, now wide awake, demands an explanation of what just happened, but Wes storms past her and into the bathroom. He cleans his face from the beating he took, put on fresh clothes, and hid his gun just as the police come to his house. Mary calls Tony to come to the house as Wes is arrested. He’s put into the police car as the police get information from the witnesses. A few minutes later, the police left with Wes, and the streets begin to clear. Tony arrives, but all his mother could say was that Wes was gone.
Wes’ mother learned that Wes was being put on academic and disciplinary probation because of his bad grades, absence from classes, and his involvement in an incident with a smoke bomb at school. To add to her disappointment, Shani came crying to her saying that Wes had punched her in the mouth, although it was only an accident. Wes knew his mother would be upset and was expecting her to yell at him, but he was shocked when Joy came to his room quietly and slaps him across the face. To avoid showing pain and surprise, Wes remains motionless and only watched his mother, resulting in another slap. Joy leaves Wes’ room heartbroken that Wes seemed so far from her and made the decision to send him to military school.
Wes is entered into Valley Forge as a new student, or plebe, and displays an aggressive attitude to make it seem like he was ready to take on anything the school had to offer. In reality, Wes was confused and ultimately felt betrayed by his mother’s choice. Wes had tried to run away four times within the first four days of arriving and learned that there was a train station outside school grounds that could take him home. However, he could never find it. Eventually, his squad leader, Sergeant Austin gives him a map to the train station saying that if Wes didn’t want to be there, they didn’t either.
That same night, Wes packs his belongings and sneaks out of the school in the middle of the night. He follows the map, which leads him through the unfamiliar forest surrounding the school. Wes soon became lost and scared and broke down crying. At that moment, Sergeant Austin emerges with the rest of the squad revealing that it was all just a trick. They return to the school building, and he was sent to Colonel Batt’s office. Even though plebes weren’t allowed to call their homes until a month, Colonel Batt made an exception knowing that Wes wouldn’t make it through without it.
Wes calls his home and begs his mother to let him come home, but Joy says that Wes had to give the place a chance and too many sacrifices had been made for him to quit after only four days. In order for Wes to be able to go to Valley Forge, Joy had asked every family member and friend for money, but she still came up short. Wes’ grandparents then decided to give her the rest of their money to help pay for the first year. The next day Wes sees Colonel Batt talking with one of the men that brought Wes back to the school the night before. Colonel Batt told Wes that the man wanted to speak with him. Wes felt the respect that was commanded by this man was so much more intense and genuine compared to the guys on the streets back at home. He realized that he wasn’t in an environment like the Bronx, but that expectations were increased and slackers were left behind. Little did Wes know that his mother asked this man, Captain Hill, to look after and mentor him.
“The Other” Wes
Wes attends a high school with his god brother, Red, in West Baltimore, and to entertain themselves, they flirt with girls on the long bus ride there. One day, Wes meets this girl named Alicia, and the soon become very close. Two months later, Alicia informs Wes that she’s pregnant. They went through four tests, all positive, before Wes accepted that it was true. Although Wes didn’t know how much teenage parenthood could affect his future, he did sense that because of his choices, there was no way he could go back.
Wes tells Tony about his situation, but Tony finds it absolutely hilarious. Their mom had their baby brother a year ago, Tony and his girlfriend just had a baby boy, and now Wes and Alicia were about to have a baby. Wes would now have a brother, nephew, and son that would be about the same age. Tony promises not to tell their mother, but he lets the news slip at their brother’s 1st birthday party. Mary was silent at first, but continued with the party, obviously not surprised by the situation.
Even though Alicia was pregnant, Wes still met other girls. Eventually, he continued to see one girl in particular that was in Baltimore often because of her cousin. One night, after realizing how late it was, the girl insisted that Wes should walk her to the door. Outside his house, a man named Ray showed up and began to yell at her for being with someone else. As Wes turned around to walk back inside, Ray grabs him and beats him up. Wes managed to escape, but was enraged and rushes inside to grab his gun. The loud situation causes a crowd to form outside, and one of Wes’ friends grabs his gun and helps Wes chase Ray down. Wes realizes that Ray was the “cousin” of the girl he was with. The two men began to shoot at Ray and eventually, they hit him. Wes returns home and slams the door in the girls face.
Mary, now wide awake, demands an explanation of what just happened, but Wes storms past her and into the bathroom. He cleans his face from the beating he took, put on fresh clothes, and hid his gun just as the police come to his house. Mary calls Tony to come to the house as Wes is arrested. He’s put into the police car as the police get information from the witnesses. A few minutes later, the police left with Wes, and the streets begin to clear. Tony arrives, but all his mother could say was that Wes was gone.