The Other Side of the Ocean — Things

The donut box

Objects

• Ch 2Mr. H’s prize for the best still life.
• Ch 5Won by James.
• Ch 27Mr. H sets out four dozen for graduation; the group makes a donut toast.

The two-finger signal

Objects

• Ch 2“Next time you need to be rescued, hold up two fingers.”
• Ch 4James uses it at Neb’s table.

The pinky war

Objects

• Ch 7James and Matt’s fingers meet on the armrest during Shadow of a Tree.
• Ch 8“It’s no secret I won that pinky war.”

The dinosaur toys

Objects

Also known as Dino Boy

• Ch 13Matt’s cover confession to James.
• Ch 14A clear plastic box in Matt’s closet. Showing them to James leads to the kiss Claudio sees.
• Ch 14A large collection Matt packed at nine; each toy has scratches, peeling paint or missing limbs he can explain.

Paradise (the car)

Objects

Also known as Paradise

• Ch 18Matt’s used car, two thousand dollars cash, registered under Helton Silva. A skunk sprayed the back seat two years earlier.
• Ch 20Matt is pulled over in it.
• Ch 25To go to Helton.
• Ch 27The group rides in it one last time to graduation.
• Ch 18The back seat is spacious, but an old-car stench and a faint skunk smell linger despite washing.

The gray Nissan

Objects

Also known as James’s car

• Ch 5Spotless, smells of pine and cologne, with a stale Dunkin’ coffee. Phone passcode 1111.
• Ch 8Where Matt and James first kiss.
• Ch 9Has tinted windows.

The purple van

Objects

• Ch 5Claudio’s matchbox-shaped van, pulled over on the way to Dos Slices.

Fa’s sweaters

Objects

• Ch 1“Magic Is Around You.”
• Ch 6“Biblical Whore.”
• Ch 13“Just a Heathen in Love.”
• Ch 14“Christmas is a Political Affair.”
• Ch 26Swimsuit: “I Know You’re Staring.”
• Ch 6The “Biblical Whore” hoodie has the words printed in bold beige letters.

The scholarship brochure

Objects

• Ch 18Hidden under Matt’s mattress: “Maybe one day.”
• Ch 23Ana finds it inside his sketchbook.

The drawing for Neb

Objects

• Ch 23Neb in his shop chair, smiling, an expression Matt had never seen on him.
• Ch 24Sent through Mr. H.

Gabriella’s letter

Objects

• Ch 6Stick figures running through a field; “Coffee?” with yes and no circles.
• Ch 16“You come on too strong with your words and your silence, too.”

Claudio’s white shirt

Objects

• Ch 3A shirt with two holes from one of his last customers; he treats it as a relic.

The wizard costume

Objects

• Ch 1Fa’s birthday gift to Matt. He never wore it.

The Neb screenshots

Objects

• Ch 10Texts allegedly between James and Brian (“Hey, stud. Meet me in the locker room?”). Matt never confirms they are real.

Alfonso

Objects

• Ch 20Laila’s pink teddy bear with a blue heart; destroyed by the family dog.