In chapter
two, Stephanie, a girl of thirteen or fourteen, is the narrator. Her best friend, Alexandra, is
taking her to the whirligig to teach her about the power of thoughts and visualization.
Stephanie is described as pragmatic and unromantic with a scientific point of view about the
world. She is socially awkward and sees herself as "puny in every department, with freckles
and oily, drab, brown hair."
Conversely, Alexandra, whom Stephanie
describes as a "mush-headed dreamer," is pretty, popular, and has already pledged her
undying love to her boyfriend. As the pair trudge through the snow toward the whirligig,
Stephanie's comments are sarcastic and cynical. However, despite her outward protests, she
secretly hopes there might be truth in what Alexandra says.
Her hopes are
revealed toward the end of the chapter. As she and Alexandra sit together quietly, Stephanie
realizes someone is watching them and wonders if it's possible that Alexandra's power of
visualization really works:
Disbelieving, fearful,
hopeful, I slowly turned my head and stared.
The chapter
ends with anfrom Stephanie. Three years have passed, and while she didn't become the buxom,
long-haired adventuress that Alexandra described, Stephanie did meet a boy who turned out to be
"her heart's joy." She is able to believe in things that can't be proven with facts,
and she can embrace feelings of hope and joy and love.
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