When Wil comes to be the island's student, he needs its guidance to deal with his parents, his new friends, and himself. His mother and father are good people who work hard: Mom is constantly cleaning the house while Dad works long hours for the highway department and dabbles with get-richquick schemes. From Wil's perspective, they are too quick to turn on the television at night or to bicker over Something Important instead of conversing with their son. Wil is not angered by their behavior, but he is frustrated. So he ignores them as he perceives his parents ignore him.

His new acquaintances, Susan and Ray, bring opposite problems. Susan states her interest in Wil straightforwardly. While she shows him around town, Susan confronts his shyness about girls and asks him what is on his mind. Wil, whose previous "girl friend" never requited his...