Todd Aaron is a seasoned veteran of Payton Living Center. The 50-year-old autistic narrator of Eli Gottlieb's (The Face Thief) lives in a cottage on the center's grounds, works in a nearby school cafeteria and follows the rules so he can be a "best boy."
With the exception of his annoying roommate, Todd is content at Payton--until the arrival of "Mike the Apron." The new staff member reminds Todd of his abusive father, and his discomfort foreshadows trouble for the vulnerable protagonist: "I was nervous and I stayed that way. I carried it around with me like a fizzy drink I drank too much of fast, that was always about to make me burp. The pressure was inside me and pushing steady, even though I hoped it would go away."
To compound Todd's uneasiness, a female resident named Martine encourages him to stop taking his medication. Torn between his budding attraction for her and his need to be a best boy, Todd says, "My feelings pushed out of me towards Martine as strongly as the Law pushed back. I stood between the feelings while they canceled each other out to make an emptiness in my head."
The burp comes when Todd decides he can't cope any longer. Quietly setting off in the night, he leaves Payton, determined to go home to a place he hasn't been since he was 11.
Best Boy packs an emotional whopper of a story into a relatively quick read. Gottlieb respectfully molds Todd, avoiding stereotypes in a faithful portrayal of autism. Both heartbreaking and heartwarming, Best Boy leaves a dazzling impression. --Jen Forbus of Jen's Book Thoughts