If I Ever Get Out of Here

It isn’t entirely true that Lewis never sees anyone else from the reservation at school. Carson is with him in chorus, but he sits in the back and they never talk to one another when they’re at school. It doesn’t help Lewis’ social standing that he, like many from the reservation, is on the free-lunch program. One kid makes the remark of “scummy welfare Indians” (28) as he walks by Lewis and Tami in the lunch line. It was the Wedgie King, and Carson has made friends with him. At lunch, Artie invites George to go to their hang out spot, The Road To Hell, which George calls Good Intentions in order to keep from swearing, something that he refuses to do. Good Intentions is actually a quarry where they like to watch the quarry workers dynamite the rock. Artie artfully shies away from having Lewis come along.  

In chorus, George and Lewis discuss the conspiracy theory that Paul McCartney is actually dead and that the man posing as McCartney is Billy Shears. Lewis wishes to be both a Native American and a “Dear Boy,” i.e., like everyone else. Artie begins playing “Dear Boys” on the piano. Rose tells him and George that if they ever want to go to a concert to let her know: Her dad owns a Ticketron outlet and can get them good seats.