The Caper that Didn't Go Wrong
The summer of 1985 is full of significant milestones in Benji’s coming of age arc, including having an unusual amount of freedom around the house without parental oversight, getting his first paying job, increasing disillusionment with his father, and his first kiss. The milestone I found particularly interesting was the “caper that didn’t go wrong for once” in the chapter “Breathing Tips of Great American Beatboxers” when Benji and NP are the only ones in their friend group who successful sneak into the 18+ nightclub for the U.T.F.O. concert. Up to this point in the novel, most of Benji’s attempts to act older, cooler, more manly, and already “come of age” don’t go the way he hopes. In one of the first scenes in the novel, he tries to get everyone to call him Ben instead of Benji, because Benji is too kiddish and part of the “Benji ‘n’ Reggie” construction. His attempt is immediately brushed off by the group and NP, who says “Okay Benji, whatever, homie” (41). Benji also genera