Runaway: Stories

“Powers” uses a changing narrative form. The story begins in 1927, as Nancy, a young woman from a small Ontario town, writes in her diary about her life. Nancy likes to joke and flirt; she prides herself on her daring spirit, which she writes about with self-dramatizing flair. One day, while in town with friends, Nancy meets Tessa Netterby, a quiet, odd young woman with whom Nancy kept up “a sort of friendship” (270) after Tessa dropped out of school at age 14. Nancy hasn’t seen Tessa in a long time, but Tessa is still shy and reserved. Others laugh at Tessa and mock her for her supposed gift of premonition, but Nancy is intrigued.

Nancy writes about her fondness for jokes. Her attempt to play an April Fool’s prank on Wilf, a young doctor, involves feigning an illness and making him examine her. Wilf doesn’t find the joke funny, and Nancy must apologize to him. After trying to apologize to Wilf, Nancy is shocked when he proposes to her. Flustered, she accepts his proposal. Nancy doesn’t feel real love for Wilf, but she’s enthusiastic about the idea of a wedding. She writes about her surprise that her life might be so conventional.