Fangirl Down

“Today she would finally get the chance to tell Wells she hadn’t counted him out. Down? Sure. But never out. She’d look right into those bloodshot eyes and remind him that his greatness wasn’t something that could go away. It had simply gotten hidden beneath self-doubt, alcohol, and a frown that could scare the feathers off a duck.”

Josephine Doyle’s devotion to Wells Whitaker’s professional golfing career is a manifestation of her positive, caring, and buoyant character. Josephine remains Wells’s number-one fan even when Wells stops performing well on the golf course. Unlike everyone else in Wells’s life, Josephine attributes this downturn in his success to a mere phase, rather than to his character. Her outlook on Wells represents her outlook on life.

“Wells kept coming back, not wanting to disappoint her. His last remaining fan. His last remaining…anything. Josephine. But he didn’t want to do it anymore. Didn’t want to show up and try uselessly to recapture the glory days. He’d lost his magic and would never find it again.”

Josephine’s character encourages Wells to continue believing in himself even when he isn’t proud of his performance on the golf course. Josephine’s loyalty as a fan helps Wells, reflecting The Importance of Encouragement and Support. In this passage, the narrator is inhabiting his consciousness and revealing the complex way that he sees Josephine even before they get to know one another. Indeed, it is his fear of letting Josephine down that inspires him to rip her sign in half, rather than his ill will.

“Everything Nate had said was true—he had behaved like a relentless prick his entire career. Trash-talked the other pros instead of making friends. Been indifferent toward the fans. Either outright ignored the press or gave them answers they couldn’t air on television. More than anything, he wanted to give the world his middle finger and go back to bed. No one expected anything from him. He had no family to let down. No real friends to piss off. No mentor to disappoint. But as loudly as oblivion called to him, the crystal-clear memory of her sang louder.”

Josephine’s character ushers Wells’s character over a difficult threshold and toward his Journey Toward Fulfillment and Personal Growth. Wells wants to quit golfing for good and retreat from life. However, simply remembering Josephine helps him to overcome these defeatist urges and to engage with his life once more.