Casandra kicked the dirt under her feet with the toe of her right shoe. She had impatiently waited all week for the County Fair to come to town with its bright lights, amazing rides, and the one feature that she most wanted to experience … the roller coaster. Her friends had agreed to come with her on this outing, but now all they wanted to do was play the arcades, eat cotton candy, and look for boys whom they knew from school.
“C’mon, guys. Let’s use our tickets for some of the rides!” she urged.
“You’ve got to be kidding me, Cass. Those rides will mess up my hair,” her best friend retorted.
“I’m not here to look pretty. I’m here to have some fun. Look at the coaster over there. Think about plunging down the hills. Who cares about hair? Let’s have some excitement while we’re here!” Casandra argued.
“You do what you want. I’m here to see and be seen.” The rest of the girls nodded in agreement.
“I’m going to take some risks. I have my phone, and you have yours. Call me when you’re ready to go. Hopefully, I’ll have ridden it by then.” Casandra gave her friends one last chance to join her in this great adventure, sighed, turned, and then set off for the illuminated tracks.
Casandra kept her eye on the prize. Anxious to ride before the attraction closed for the evening, she darted around young couples holding hands and parents anxiously searching for their wayward little ones. Her quick step slowed, however, as she hesitantly approached the giant. She raised her head and followed the line of the steep steel tracks as they curved, looped, and twisted. This would be the highest roller coaster that she had ever experienced, and she would be doing it alone. This had been her quest for the entire evening, but was she up for this challenge? With new determination, she once again set off at a trot.
By the time she made it through the crowd, the line was extraordinarily long. She joined the other thrill-seekers and scanned the faces around her. Did she know anyone? Was there a familiar face from school to join her for the ride?
She shifted her weight as she waited impatiently, determined to achieve her goal and watched the train climb the first huge hill and then plummet down the track. She became mesmerized by the clank of the car as it broke free to fill the riders with laughter and screams.
“Looks exciting, doesn’t it?” A voice behind her seemed to speak almost directly into her ear. With a start, she turned to see a boy about her age staring up at the track just as she had been doing. “I can’t wait to ride. Line is a bit long though, don’t you think?” He smiled a lop-sided grin.
“I guess we waited too long. I couldn’t convince my friends to come ride with me,” Casandra dejectedly confided with a pout.
“I’m alone too. You would think that with all of the people in front of us, we’d know someone.” He let his eyes leave the track and focus on her. “Do you want to share a seat in the car? It’s more fun to have someone with you. I like to put my hands in the air as the train crests the hill. Sometimes if I’m alone in the car, I slide around too much. I don’t mind coming off of the seat, but I’m not crazy about sliding from side to side.”
Cassandra weighed her options. Her friends had left her alone with this challenge, but now she had someone else who was brave enough to join her. With a little grin, Casandra nodded her head in agreement.
Waiting for the line in front of them to shrink, they shared what they liked about coasters and which ones they had ridden. They talked about the ones with the loops, those with wood versus steel tracks, and the angle of the hills and turns. This stranger seemed to know everything about roller coasters and how they worked. Cassandra began to believe that he might be one of the most interesting people whom she had ever met.
“When it’s our turn, be certain to try to get to the back of the train. The last car has the best ride. We’ll come off of the seat cresting the hills.” With that, they were next in line.
Cassandra excitedly stepped into the car, pressed up against its side, and waited for her partner to enter. The locking bar mechanically lowered over their laps, and an attendant checked it with a quick jerk.
“I’m putting my arms up the second we go over the first hill. What about you?” she asked as the train began its journey up the track.
“I wouldn’t do anything else,” he replied with anticipation in his voice.
During the ride, the two seat partners yelled their thoughts at each other over the noise of the track and laughed. Cassandra felt as if she were flying. She savored the sensation in her stomach that was the result of both gravity and speed. As the car finally slowed and approached the platform, she looked down at the ground as they rolled to a stop. She turned to thank her new friend, but … he was gone. Confused, she looked up and down the platform. Had he somehow hopped out before they came to a complete stop and become lost in the crowd? Did the ride make him sick? She began to worry. Why had he disappeared without saying goodbye?
As the attendant watched her climb out of the car, Cassandra nervously decided to ask him about her fellow passenger. “That young man with whom I was riding, did you see where he went?”
The attendant looked at her and answered with a roll of his eyes. “You rode alone. What are you talking about?” She tried arguing with him, but he just pointed her in the direction of the photo booth in which images of the cars were displayed as they started down the first hill.
When the picture of Cassandra finally displayed on the screen, there she was pressed up against the side of the car with her arms in the air, totally alone. She shook her head trying to clear her thoughts just as her phone went off. Her friends were on the other end.
“Did you ride it? Was it fun? Did you see some strange old guy on the train? We just heard the coolest story. People around here swear that this time of year, the designer of that track likes to ride his train just to see if people still have fun on it. And Cassandra, he died of old age a few years ago. You didn’t see him, did you?”
Cassandra thoughtfully waited for a moment to answer. “Nope. I didn’t see any strange old guy, but I did have a fantastic time. You should have come, and yes, it’s a great coaster. I’m leaving now to meet you. Wait for me.”
Once again, Cassandra set off at a trot, this time to join up with her friends. It had been quite an experience and one that she would remember for a very long time. She took one last look back at the track and silently thanked her new friend for one of the best rides of her life.
Multiple Choice Question
Which of the following BEST states the effect Cassandra’s point of view has on “A Night to Remember”?
A.
Cassandra’s point of view allows the reader to imagine the fear she feels as she approaches the roller coaster.
B.
Cassandra’s point of view creates suspense for readers as they keep reading to discover what will happen when she rides the roller coaster.
C.
Cassandra’s point of view causes the story to have a humorous tone when Cassandra and the boy are yelling and laughing during their roller coaster ride.
D.
Cassandra’s point of view provides the opportunity for the reader to share her frustration with her friends when they refuse to ride the roller coasters with her.
1 answer
The BEST answer that states the effect Cassandra’s point of view has on “A Night to Remember” is:
B. Cassandra’s point of view creates suspense for readers as they keep reading to discover what will happen when she rides the roller coaster.
This option captures the essence of the story's build-up as Cassandra waits in line and anticipates the thrilling ride, making readers eager to find out how her experience will unfold. Although the other options touch on aspects of her emotions and interactions, B most directly addresses the overall suspenseful atmosphere of the narrative.
