Ghost Boys

The city’s prosecutor questions Officer Moore to establish that Jerome could not have been all that threatening given his small size and to imply that perhaps the officer allowed unconscious bias to influence his reactions. Jerome sees the other ghost boy again and realizes that Sarah can also see the other ghost.

Later that day, Jerome confirms that Sarah can see the other ghost boy. Jerome grows angry when he realizes Officer Moore is on paid leave, yet another confirmation that the privileged life Sarah and her family lead is part of a “fantasy world” (90). The reality of the Rogers family is one of poverty and scrambling when emergencies arise. The differences between their childhoods and circumstances make Jerome angry, especially because he will never get to escape his oppressive childhood by achieving his dream of becoming a professional athlete.

Jerome is looking at Sarah’s book collection (which includes Peter Pan, the fantasy story of a White boy who never grows up) when the other ghost boy joins them. The ghost boy reveals that he is Emmett Till and then chides Jerome for continuing to be angry at Sarah by pointing out that Sarah can change.