Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

Even though the weather is cold, Aven, Connor, and Zion still eat lunch outside. Aven knows they should be eating in the cafeteria, but she does not feel like going there. Connor and Zion are relieved. Aven thinks that one of her dad’s unlabeled keys will open the mysterious desk in the shed. She hopes they will find a murder weapon, turn it over to the police, and become famous for catching a killer. Zion and Connor resoundingly reject the idea of publicity. Plans for the art festival at Stagecoach Pass are proceeding nicely—now they just need a band. Connor suggests that Aven play the guitar, but she refuses. Connor does not plan to go to the festival because of the crowds, but he says he will attend if Aven plays. Zion wonders why Aven does not play for people—it is no different from performing in a play—but Aven disagrees. In the play, she wore a costume. She does not want to use her feet to play the guitar in front of a crowd and be stared at as a novelty.

Aven spends time helping her parents get Stagecoach Pass cleaned up and ready for the festival. She also keeps searching for tarantulas. Aven asks Denise, the caretaker of the petting zoo, about tarantulas, but Denise says there are none around the theme park anymore because the city encroached on their desert habitat. She tells Aven that Henry says the last tarantulas were seen in 2004. Aven does not believe Henry is a reliable source of information, but Denise maintains that he remembers the past clearly. When Aven asks Henry, he claims the tarantulas all “left with her,” in 2004 (181), then becomes confused again. Connor, Zion, and Aven continue searching the shed. They have not yet found the key that opens the desk, but Zion discovers an old photograph dated 1973. The picture appears to be of Aven, but this girl has arms, and is wearing the turquoise necklace.

Aven’s mom is startled when she sees the old photo. Mom tries to rationalize the other girl’s resemblance to Aven, thinking it might be a coincidence, that since the photo is black and white, the other girl has different hair color, or that perhaps Aven has found a doppelganger—someone who just happens to look nearly identical to her. Aven wonders if Henry knew the girl in the photo. Dad comes home, interrupting their discussion, to say that Bob has quit. He is also surprised by the photo. He exchanges a not-very-happy look with Mom.

Aven’s mom takes Aven, Zion, and Connor on a surprise excursion. Connor is excited until he realizes they are going to the movies. His tics increase and he angrily refuses to go inside the theater, but Aven’s mom urges him to trust them. He discovers that they have the entire theater to themselves because the manager’s son has Tourette’s and he empathizes with Connor’s discomfort. Connor is thrilled. The three friends load up on snacks, including gummy bears, one of Aven’s favorites. Mrs. Green sits in the far back and the three discuss the photograph while they wait for the movie to start. Aven thinks her mom was genuinely surprised by the picture and would tell her if she knew anything about the girl in it. Aven explains the doppelganger theory. Connor still refuses to attend the art festival.

Connor is depressed and ticcing a lot when he visits Aven but will not say why. Aven tries to cheer him up by playing a song on her guitar. Connor does not tic once during the song, but he then starts to cry, calls himself “a freak,” and says he will never be able to do what Aven does. Aven disagrees, telling him that he “can do anything” (197), but Connor says his life will never amount to anything because he cannot even go out in public. Connor reveals that he is upset because he went to the store to get Aven gummy bears, and someone used their phone to film him ticcing. He declares he will not go to school or to the support group meetings ever again. Aven tries to reassure him, but Connor says she is not being realistic. He declares that because of her disability, even she cannot do everything that people with arms can. Aven is furious. Connor insists they are both disabled. Aven hotly responds that she is “abled.” Connor storms out, and Aven immediately feels sorry.

Aven avoids Connor the next day at school, eats in the bathroom to avoid explaining things to Zion, and hurries home. She checks for comments on her blog posts, sees that there are none from her old friends, and writes a new post about being armless. She knows she jokes about not having arms, but believes there is no point in complaining about it, because it will not change anything. She admits that sometimes not having arms can be awful. She makes a list of the 20 worst things about her disability. Many items are comical, like not being able to box matches, or use chainsaws, but others are serious, like having sore feet and having to work to keep her balance. The final three entries show her regret about her fight with Connor: without arms, she cannot hug, reach out, or wipe away her friend’s tears.

Aven tells her mom about her fight with Connor and her anger about being labeled disabled. Mom says that “disabled” does not mean “unable,” rather it means that things are more challenging for Aven. Mom believes that everything is possible for Aven, and excitedly tells Aven it would be a great idea if Aven would play a song on her guitar with the band at the festival. Aven refuses, not wanting to be put on display. Sulking around Stagecoach Pass, Aven thinks Connor is right, that people will always just see her disability. Aven holes up in an old wagon until Dad comes to find her. He reminds her about the upcoming soccer team tryouts, but Aven balks. In tears, Aven wishes she were like other people. Dad reassures her, and advises Aven to be herself—not to hide her talents, but to let herself shine. Aven finds a heart carved into the wagon and the words “Aven was here” (214).