Tenth of December Summary

In the story "Tenth of December," a young boy has decided to walk to a pond near his home on a cold winter day and look at a beaver dam. He takes his pellet gun to guard against the Nethers that he expects to encounter on his outing. He imagines today that the Nethers have kidnapped Suzanne Bledsoe, the new girl in his homeroom. It is ten degrees outside according to the thermometer. He thinks of the way that he is never really able to save anyone, as he dreams of saving Suzanne. Robin finds a coat that has been discarded on a bench next to the pond. He sees a man walking up Lexow Hill. He is not wearing a coat. Robin believes that taking the man his coat will be like saving him.

Meanwhile, Don Eber is...