Swings are the coffeeshops of childhood

The Last Disruptor is in many ways about that year in childhood where you begin to become an adult and face real issues. For me fifth grade seems to be the year that that happens. You know it’s that year when you start understanding deeper meanings to literature, songs and the events in your life and those of your family and friends. So it’s why the main characters, Crate and his friends are around this age. (I also picked it because, while I’m fascinated by science and am a fairly decent student of science and its history, I am no scientist, so it was easier to discuss theories at a fifth grade level for me as a writer.)

But what struck me while writing it was remembering what playing and socializing was like when I was a kid and what it’s like for my own son. There are some obvious differences between then and now, but there are still some similarities and swings are among them.

As I wrote the Last Disruptor I was drawn to the swings on more than one scene. A swing is something you can do by yourself but it’s also something you do with someone. It is for the most part a safe space you can share and therefore encourages you to do just that. You swing as high as you can and as fast as you can and laugh and can pretend all kinds of things on it. But you can also just sit on them and talk as the sun sets. You share so much of yourself as a kid on a swing with your friends. They’re like the coffeeshop where you go to meet your friend as an adult, share a cup of coffee and just connect for a while.

Of course, you can’t do this in a coffee shop…

They were all swinging as high as they could go, then Ryan said, “Watch this!” And he vaulted out of the swing into the air, flying for just a moment, his arms and legs whirling out into the blue sky, a figure bound to touch the clouds, before falling woefully short and plunging to the ground in a tangled mess of dust and pain.

The Last Disruptor– Chapter 37 Betrayal

You can read more of The Last Disruptor if you buy it on Amazon in paperback or digital formats.