The Door Into Summer - the scene I loved

Warning: This post talks about the plot of Heinlein's book "The Door into Summer" in some detail, so if you have not yet read that book and want to avoid spoiling the suspense, don't read this post before you read the book itself.

What can one do when with faced with a single emotion; one strong, focused, simple emotion of love. When a girl says "I am yours" surrendering her all to you in a simple, completely non-reversible manner, you have to take notice and accept it as the ultimate gift which can be incredibly exciting and yet ultimately soothing.

I mentioned while reviewing "The Door Into Summer" that there was one scene which I planned to read again immediately even though I had just finished the book. That scene was where our hero Dan Davis goes back in time and leaves his stock with his corrupt business partner's young daughter Ricky. Ricky maybe young, she's only eleven now, but she and Dan share a special relationship of mutual respect and unassuming friendship. Also, they both love Dan's cat Pete.

In this scene, as Dan visits her in her scout camp and tries to tell her what to do, hampered by his inability to explain the real reasons why he was going away for 30 years, taking the Cold Sleep, the situations grows pensive as Ricky refuses to accept Dan's gift of his stock. He tries to explain to her and make her see reason, but all she is focused on is that he is leaving her and she would never see him or Pete again.

Then Dan tells her that they can meet again, if, when Ricky turns 21, she uses the money piled up from the stock to take cold sleep herself to catch up with Dan. She likes that idea. And then, this 11 year old girl asks our adult hero if he would marry her if she takes the cold sleep. He agrees immediately and willingly, and gives her his old class ring as a sign of betrothal.

I am moved by this scene because under the mundane and quite business-like activities there is an undercurrent of Dan's concern for Ricky, his urgent, frantic, in places risky activities, all motivated by his strong desire to take care of her, secure her future against the tragedies he knows will befall her. On the other hand, there is the rigid, rock-like determination of Ricky to completely ignore all financial and business aspects and focus only on Dan and how she can be with him!

I love this scene and thought I should share it with you! :)