Belsey children

I was kind of touched and sort of relieved at the scene where Jerome, Zora, and Levi all just happen to run into one another as Jerome is getting off the bus to come back home. As much turmoil, tension, and general unease as there is in their family right now, I thought their excitement about the spontaneous reunion was very reassuring. Since the beginning the Belseys are portrayed as a very dubious act of a family. Especially because of the way Jerome describes his (although somewhat facetious) awe at how well the Kipps family operates. Their little accidental reunion was very cute, though, especially the way none of them could believe that they had actually run into each other that way and they even went so far as to call Kiki and excitedly tell her what had happened. And the kids of course all go into the coffee shop and have a nice talk together… even though their awkward family situation is discussed (the tension between Kiki and Howard) and the Kippses, including Victoria, are brought up. Altogether it seemed a very positive and hopeful scene; maybe the Belseys can still persist as a family in some way or another.

The thing that worries me most, though, is how distant Levi can be. I understand that he is trying to be cool and “street” and all that, but the way he can just completely disengage from his family whenever he wants/feels like it is rather disconcerting. For instance, after a while at the coffee house he just suddenly says goodbye, gets up and leaves. Similarly, he said he was “out” when his family went to the concert and walked away from the family when Howard was fooling around and being embarrassing. They all laughed at this and I thought it was funny too, but then Levi really did disappear for the rest of the time they were at the concert and did not sit with his family. I was saddened at this because Levi just seems so disconnected from his family in a very real way. I don’t doubt that he still loves them, but he just doesn’t care in a certain way. He also seems to be getting into possible trouble with the odd group of friends he has chosen to hang out with (all of whom are much more legitimately “street” than he is, although he has to lie and pretend he is as legit as they are) and the fact that they are hustling now. I’m kind of worried because I feel like Levi will probably continue down this path into more dangerous and destructive activities as he feels the need to prove himself to these people.