Notes From The Midnight Driver

As New Year’s Eve arrives, Alex feels that he is in a “fine mood” (99), but then everything goes wrong. First, he argues with his mom in the morning when she gets up after a bad date. After she snaps at him, he leaves the house, ignoring her shouted apologies. Then Alex goes to visit Sol, where despite learning that Sol knew Thelonious Monk, he gets in an argument after Sol accuses him of planning for “young people monkey business” (103) with Laurie. Although they argue, they do decide on a plan for Alex to come with Laurie to the nursing home that evening.

When Alex gets to Laurie’s house, she is in tears over her recent visit with her mother, who has gotten pregnant with a boyfriend. Laurie takes a shower, and then the two go to gather supplies to bring to Sol’s that night. Alex finds a note at his house from his mom that apologizes and reminds him that she has a date that night.

By the time Alex and Laurie arrive at the nursing home to make a New Year’s Eve party, Alex is “in a weird mood” (108), though Laurie is flitting around preparing a fun set-up for the residents. The fun is ruined, though, when Sol figures out that Alex hasn’t been volunteering—that he meets with Sol as a “PUNISHMENT?” (110); worse, Sol is angered by Alex’s explanation about drunk driving. Sol tells Alex to leave, and he does.

A few hours later, Alex has ignored multiple voicemail apologies from Sol, and Laurie finally meets him back at the house. They make egg creams and play games until midnight; Alex offers Laurie, somewhat as a joke, a kiss when the ball drops, and she punches him “in the arm, hard” (116). They spill one of the egg creams on the carpet, clean up most of it, and fall asleep in their sleeping bags on the floor.

But at two in the morning, Alex wakes up to hear voices: his mom and dad, together in the house. He is extremely confused, so fakes being asleep so he can try to listen.