Peter

Peter did not know in the least who or what he was, which is the very pinnacle of good form. ~from Peter and Wendy by JM Barre

Name: Peter Pan

Nickname(s): Peter, Pan, Boy

Age: Peter doesn’t now how old he is but it must be quite old, at least twenty-something.

Story: Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up or Peter and Wendy

Character: Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up

Status: Title

Length of Time on This Side: When his memory is sharp he seems to believe he has been coming to the Mainland off and on for over 150 years but has only been stuck here for the last 10-15.  If you asked someone else who has been around that long, they wouldn’t equivocate [avoid committing themselves] and simply say 15.

Heirloom(s):  Peter has a small charm worn on a silver chain around his neck.  He often forgets what it is and rarely remembers where he got it.

Physical Description: Peter is old, so very very old, something he’s reminded of every time he looks in the mirror or worst yet, has to shave (or to be more accurate, is shaved as he hasn’t quite learned how to shave himself, something that is normally taught to a boy by his father, of which Peter has none and has therefore never learned).  He is tall for a boy and wouldn’t fit in any trees back in Neverland except perhaps Slightly’s, which had been big enough for Hook to worm his way up and down.  Hook was far bigger than Peter, even now though now only by a scant few inches which we know is a small number, more than two but less than several, typically 3 to 4.  When unequivocating it would be 3 leaving Peter at an even 6 feet in height, trim and fit though not waifish for as we’ve already informed, he was very old and though a waif [a creature removed, by hardship, loss or other helpless circumstance, from its original surroundings], he was not a waif [a small, thin person who appears to be undernourished and neglected].

Now, the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up had never been entirely described owing to the desire to leave his appearance up to the imagination, said only to be a beautiful boy with a beautiful smile.  However, growing up meant giving up such foolish things and it could be said that besides being 6 feet in height and not waifishly thin, 170 pounds to be unprevaricating [unequivocating], he was also of hair that has dulled to a blondish brown and lost its curls, presuming it ever had them.  In their place were waves brought on by a disobedient streak that tended to make it fall in front of his eyes.  Speaking of eyes, they held a glimpse of Neverland, like they’d been sprinkled with pixie dust and captured the verdant [green] of the jungle and fought to hold that green against the dirt and grime of the Mainland.  This color was sometimes called hazel for the sake of convenience though Peter rarely bothered himself with conveniences.

And finally, it could be said, he did, in fact, have a beautiful smile.

Distinguishing Marks:  He has a pair of scars from where twice an iron hand had clawed him once upon a rock, a small reminder of the unfairness of things, though Peter often forgot where he got the scars or just as easily forgot that they were even there.

Personality:  Though Peter’s appearance might not have been well known, his nature was.  “Pan, who and what art thou?” Hook had reportedly once asked.  “I am youth, I am joy, I am a little bird that has broken out of the egg,” he Peter had replied and it was said that this, of course, was a nonsense answer and yet it was not so wrong.  At his best, Peter is a happy fellow.  Once upon a time [as requested though not where requested] he was infectiously so though now he has to work at it even for himself.  The further he gets from the Midnight Bell the more he remembers and the more he remembers the more he regrets and the more he fears.  He much prefers to not regret or fear and therefore is content not to remember and quite happy in the whole wide world as opposed to the walls of Havencrest where memory seems faster on its feet (or wing, he was never quite sure which messenger service it preferred).

Still, there are certain things which he never forgets, things which he might claim combine into what one might call good form.  Further, he hates lethargy.  As such he’s always active.  Further still, he despises unfairness.  As such he’s both easily abused and equally galvanized [shocked into action] both leading too easily to distraction.  Perhaps it was because of this it had been said he had seen many tragedies and forgotten them all.  He often also met it (tragedy) as well and just as always forgot it.  Such was the fate of one who never to choose the easy way.

Why Did You Come Through The Rift?: As Peter would tell it, he hadn’t come through the Rift at all, that he simply forgot how to return to Neverland.  He’d been coming to the Mainland for years, many many years, at least as many as he was old and he was very very old.  He’d been heartbroken when they left him there, Wendy, Jane, Margaret, even Hook.  He’d stayed, even when others left and only visited until the day he visited his last (for a visit was a social call, like he’d done to the residences of the Darlings for so many many years).  What was it when a visit was permanent?  A move?  A stay?  He wasn’t prepared to admit that yet, it was still just a visit and one day he’d find a way back to Neverland and show them all.

History:  Now it could be argued he’d been coming to the Mainland and not this world.  Philosophers and scholars could debate whether the London of his story was the London of this world.  It would actually be a relatively easy debate to settle should a Darling appear in Havencrest but to his knowledge, no Darling had.  Then again, he was not known for his memory.

In either case, he’d been coming to a place like the world surrounding Havencrest for hundreds of years and thousands of times.  In between, he fought pirates, allied with natives, swam with mermaids, pretended to be beasts of the wild, flew with fairies, sought a mother, found one, saw her leave, found another.  He’d been happy to repeat things over and over and every day had been a new game and a new adventure.  Now it was the same one over and over without end and he was chasing it across the world a few weeks at a time.

Ever After: What is the defining trait of Peter Pan?  This was a question Peter had asked himself over and over.  Eternal youth?  Utter confidence?  An abundance of happy thoughts letting him fly?  A lack of sad thoughts to hold him down?  It was a question Peter had asked himself over and over though not because he hadn't found the answer but because he kept forgetting it.

Now, what were we talking about?

Oh yes, a wise person might wonder, why would Peter need a door?  Doesn't he prefer windows and hollowed out tree trunks?  It's, of course, safe to assume you are wise and so it's also safe to surmise that Peter did not come through the door.

Not through the door, you might ask, then where did he come from?  The short answer, of course, was Kensington Gardens by way of Neverland, a slightly longer answer was London Heathrow by way of British Airlines, for Peter you see has forgotten more than most people have ever known, or at least he has forgotten everything more often than most people ever have.  In either case, he has forgotten the two most important things of all, the directions to Neverland and how to fly.

The good people at British Airways didn't know the way to Neverland either but fortunately, they remembered how to fly, knew where Pennsylvania was and could take him there.

You may now consider yourself wise for you did now know, Peter never came through the door, instead, he's simply failed to return to Neverland.

He has however mostly always remembered to return to Havencrest in time for the Midnight Bell.  And why was that important you might ask?  And being wise, you would know because Peter is beginning to remember and he would rather forget for when he forgets he’s happy and when he’s happy he’s lighter and if he ever manages to get happy enough he might fly and if he might fly he might follow the second to the left (or was it right) all the way home.  But, doesn’t the Midnight Bell help people remember?  Why yes, you are very wise, the Midnight Bell helps Peter remember how to forget.  And what does Peter need to forget you might ask?  'Painful dreams', of course, but as of yet, 'he could not be separated' from them.  And so, he returns to Havencrest even though he's been banished several times.

"Me? Peter? Banished?" he had asked incredulously, pointing a finger, "but that's Hook?"

He always thought that was enough of a defense for fighting in the streets and couldn't at all understand why everyone seemed to side with the pirate.  The Pirate!!! It must be because they were all so old.  He often forgot he was quite old now too.

He didn't recall what he'd gotten in trouble for last time, possibly something to do with flamingos and a lagoon if his dreams were to be believed, in either case, he'd left a month ago (or was it two) taking the second right (or was it left) out of town, which in this instance had led to a place called Pittsburgh at which point he was promptly lost until he remembered his way back.  He'd been in London trying to find the Wendy Lady until he remembered too much. Fortunately, that included remembering how to forget and even more fortunately, he was right on time.