6

Summary

• The protagonist was supposed to visit her grandmother in New Hampshire but instead travels directly from New York to Detroit and then Traverse City for a new acting opportunity.
• Eric, the Executive Director of Tom Lake Theatre, picked her up from the airport to give her an update on the theatre's situation.
• The theatre was experiencing financial difficulties, and the season was abnormal with the previous Emily leaving and the Stage Manager, Albert Long (Uncle Wallace), drinking excessively.
• Eric informed the protagonist she would receive better pay and accommodations replacing the previous Emily, and they could update her credentials for the program at the last minute.
• The protagonist was also asked to consider the role of Mae in "Fool for Love" after "Our Town" to reduce casting challenges. She had not seen or read the play but agreed to stay on for the season.
• En route to the theatre, the protagonist noticed wooden boxes among the cherry trees, which Eric explained were rented bees for pollination.
• Tom Lake Theatre was described as picturesque, with various amenities and housing for staff and a nearby town benefiting from tourist revenue.
• The protagonist settled into her nicer-than-average room, reflected on her minimal belongings, and felt grateful for the opportunity, planning to send thankful postcards to Charlie and Ripley.
• A man named Peter Duke entered her room while she was watching the lake, delivering her schedule.
• Duke told her a fanciful story about how "Tom Lake" got its name from a young boy who thought it belonged to him because of his nanny's playful comments.
• The protagonist believed Duke's story until he revealed the tale was fabricated.
• Duke left the schedule and let the protagonist know she had an hour before she needed to engage with the theatre activities.
• The remainder of the chapter reflects on the protagonist's past intense feelings for Duke, contrasting these memories with her current life with her daughters, trying to explain to them that intense experiences can be transient.
• Maisie, one of the protagonist's daughters, wonders how her mother could ever get over someone like Duke, inviting a comparison with their overwhelming desire for the county fair rides despite the after-effects.
• The protagonist makes the point to her daughters that eventually, people move beyond their previous desires, such as the thrill of a carnival, as they grow and evolve.