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A Summary of the Story
The Last and Best of the Peter Pans is an unpublished work much sought after by Catcher fans due to it's famous reference to catching a child from crawling off of a cliff. This story is a heated conversation between Vincent (DB) Caulfield and his mother. It takes place after the death of Vincent's brother Kenneth (Allie) Caulfield. The first of three stories authored by Vincent, it is narrated in the first person.
The story opens with Vincent's description of his mother, Mary Moriarity, who is an actress. Vincent's portrayal of her presents us with a woman in possession of a strong personality, consumate acting ability, and striking red hair. He emphasises that rather than simply being his or Holden or Phoebe's mother, Mary was an enveloping presence in the house. When, at fifteen, his parents agent, Leon Werblin, drove him from school to see his parents play in "Romeo and Juliet", Vincent was taken by his mother's role of "Juliet", relating that, while although she was thirty-eight at the time, he could "feel" her role and "was watching a young girl in love".
Taking place in the early days of World War II, Vincent has recieved his draft board questionnaire in the mail. But he is unaware that his mother has intercepted it and hidden it away from him. Mary, after considering the United States Army as a possible interlude in her older son's life, has determined the possibility as being "unsuitable". Five days after it's arrival, Vincent discovers the questionarre on the floor of the spoon compartment of the silverware chest. Extremely upset, he confronts his mother.
The bulk of this story is the argument between Mary and Vincent over the questionaire and the army. Mary defends her actions, stating that Vincent wouldn't be happy in the army. She compares him to her brother Walter, who was called up to serve in World War I. Although Walter served willingly, he was unsuited to it. His unsuitability was displayed in the fact that, no matter what he did, his "leggings" were always coming undone and his "overseas cap" was always askew.
In an attempt to distract Vincent, soften his mood, and gain the upper hand, Mary calls Vincent's attention to to his young sister Phoebe. Phoebe, who is playing outside, comes into view through the window, wearing a new coat that Mary has recently bought her. Vincent looks at his sister "in her short darling coat". Then he turns away.
Jumping back to the subject, Vincent tries to impress upon his mother the trouble that he could get into for failing to return the questionaire within twenty-four hours. He doesn't think that his mother realizes the significance of what she has done. But his mother gives him a piercing look that knifes him with the comprehension that she had not hid the questionaire in the spoon compartment "for the unintentional sake of a laugh line".
Mary then treds on the tenderest of territory - Kenneth's death. Vincent mentions that while his mother looked slightly afraid to approach the subject, "she came equipped, as always, to get there". Mary, after having suffered the loss of one son, is reluctant to introduce another to the prospect of death. Despite her own pain, she is intent upon relieving the pain of Vincent, who feels tremendous guilt over the death of Kenneth. She assures Vincent that he gave Kenneth the best but Vincent retorts that while Kenneth needed a top-line (Bernstein) best, he instead got Vincent, a second-rate best.
Vincent then harshly critiques his mother. He tells her that while in a rush to attend a charity, she asks a blind man for the time. He says that in an attempt to catch a child from crawling off a cliff, she asks a man with no legs to catch the child in time. While she doesn't want to see her son be a soldier, she will open fire on him before he's ever in uniform. At first he accuses his mother of being "all heart and instinct and no brains" but reconsiders, adding that while being smart, she doesn't always think.
Vincent then retreats to his room. There, he contemplates what has just happened, profoundly sorry. He is sorry for all the people in their ivory towers, sorry for all the soldiers who can't keep their caps on right, sorry for all of the second-bests in the world. But most of all, Vincent is sorry that he almost compared his mother to Svengali, when in actuality she is the last and best of the Peter Pans.
Further Comments on this Story
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