We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

In 2012, Rosemary’s agent calls to say that she has received requests for interviews with the nation’s most famous presenters, such as Charlie Rose and John Stewart. She asks that Rosemary move up the publication date of the book. It is only at this point that Rosemary learns that Lowell has finally been arrested while planning an attack on SeaWorld in Orlando. A “female accomplice” escaped arrest. Rosemary admits that the book she wrote with her mother was “for Fern,” but that the book in the reader’s hands now is “for Lowell.” She is not going to argue that Lowell is innocent, as it is possible that Lowell intended to inflict major damage with the attack. At the same time, the ALF is against hurting any animals––human or nonhuman.

Rosemary wishes Lowell was caught earlier, before he accrued so many charges. As of now, he has been in custody for three months and is in a bad mental state. Rosemary knows that he is attempting to be tried as a nonhuman animal, and she has been trying to persuade Todd’s mother to represent him. Just like Fern, Lowell has fundamentally good qualities, but has become dangerous as he’s grown older.

Rosemary decides to end the story by telling the reader what happened when she saw Fern for the first time again. Rosemary’s mother had already been visiting Fern for two weeks, and Rosemary waited in order to give Fern time to adjust. In advance of her visit, Rosemary sends Fern an old stuffed penguin, a sweater she hopes smells of her, and a red poker chip that they would use when they played “Same/Not Same.” She brings a second poker chip when she arrives.

Rosemary walks behind the glass wall, waits for Fern to make eye contact, and then signs her own name as well as Fern’s. Rosemary places her palm on the glass, and Fern does the same. Fern presses her forehead against the glass, and so does Rosemary. They stare into each other’s eyes for a long time. Rosemary realizes that she doesn’t know what Fern is thinking, but is still overwhelmed by a sense of familiarity. It is like looking in a mirror.