My Friends

Ted begins telling Louisa the story of him and his friends. He tells her that Ali was new in town and lived with her father. They moved around a lot because her father couldn’t keep a job due to his substance use. Ali got into a fight with bullies at school, and they nicknamed her “Ali” after the famous boxer Muhammad Ali. 

Though they only knew her for one year, Ted says it was as if she’d always been a part of their group. She and Joar fought a lot because they were both impulsive and prone to doing dangerous things like blowing up mailboxes. Ted says Ali “was their second life” (141), as she brought them laughter and adventure. He points out that the laughter Louisa feels in the painting comes from Ali, and it was her idea to paint the group of friends. Also, the red hues, which art critics mistake for a representation of light, come from chili sauce Ali accidentally spat onto the canvas from laughing so hard.

Ali and Joar, both of whom never wanted to be at home, spent a lot of time at Ted’s house, along with the artist.