The Beautiful Plain
Laura didn’t remember moving to Platte, Nebraska. She had only been three when her father took the job of planning commissioner for the county.
Laura Runnell, the narrator, reflects on her childhood in Platte, Nebraska, where she moved at age three when her father became the planning commissioner for the county. Despite being a city kid and Carrie Pierce, a farm kid from a 15-mile distant farm spanning two counties, the two became inseparable friends in kindergarten. Their bond began on their first day of school when their teacher, Miss Clearman, paired them together after noticing they were the only two children crying. Miss Clearman, described as having ample breasts and a nurturing presence, encouraged their friendship by placing them at conjoined desks. Laura’s family was quiet and book-filled, while Carrie’s family had wealth, which allowed Carrie to bridge the rural-urban divide at school. The two shared a Clifford lunch box with matching granola bars and spent their early years together, with Laura following Carrie’s lead in fashion and social dynamics.
Carrie Pierce and her two older siblings rode the school bus every morning, which picked them up at 6AM—a time when it was still dark for much of the school year. The bus traveled for nearly two hours along gravel roads in Hamilton County before arriving at school. In contrast, Laura did not need to wake up until 7:30AM, and her father often dropped her off at school on his way downtown. The Pierce family’s wealth, highlighted by annual trips to Chicago to buy school clothes, set them apart from other farm families in the area. Laura, an only child in a quiet home, valued her friendship with Carrie, who was described as her closest friend since kindergarten. Their bond was cemented by small, shared experiences, such as eating the same granola bars at lunch under the cottonwood trees lining the school playground.
At age twelve, Laura and Carrie, along with another friend named Julia, participated in an initiation ritual to welcome Kelly Spranger into their group, the Jackrabbits. The ritual involved pushing Kelly, who was placed inside a cardboard box, off the loft of an old wooden barn on the Pierce property. The barn, built decades earlier by Carrie’s grandfather or great-grandfather, was no longer used for farming and was described as haunted due to a past suicide. Despite this, Carrie chose the loft for the initiation, stating, “We need a second floor.” The ritual was framed as a dare: if Kelly wanted to join the group, she had to accept the challenge. The box was eventually pushed off the loft, though Laura wondered if Carrie would call off the ritual before it was completed.
Kelly Spranger moved to Platte in early November, midway through the school year, and was described as unnoticeable, with mousy brown hair and a bulky green sweater. She carried her books in her arms instead of using a backpack, which made her stand out in a school where most students used Jansport bags. Laura’s mother, who worked as a teacher and vice principal at the elementary school, pointed out Kelly to Laura during a drive home, noting that she was the first new student in over a year. Laura felt relieved when Melissa Chaney volunteered to show Kelly around the school instead of her. Kelly’s arrival disrupted the social dynamics of the school, and Laura’s mother suggested inviting her over, though the idea was ultimately abandoned when Laura’s father returned home upset about a planning commission decision.
Laura and Carrie’s friendship was defined by Laura’s role as Carrie’s follower, a position she preferred to avoid leadership pressures. Laura admired Carrie’s choices, such as buying rainbow suspenders in third grade, and emulated her fashion sense, including bobbing her hair and using Aquanet hairspray. Carrie’s social status allowed her to make decisions that shaped their group, such as choosing the loft for the initiation ritual. Laura’s parents, who could not afford high-end brands like Lacoste or Ralph Lauren, bought knock-off versions, but Laura took pride in wearing them when Carrie was nearby. The dynamic between Laura and Carrie highlights the influence of wealth and social standing in their rural community, where the Pierce family’s silos, painted green and visible from the interstate, symbolized their financial success.
Platte, Nebraska, is described as a small town where social divisions were stark, particularly between city and rural residents. The Pierce farm, spanning two counties, was one of the few that allowed Carrie to transcend these divisions at school due to her family’s wealth. The town’s economy revolved around agriculture, with silos painted green by the Pierce family to symbolize money. The old wooden barn used for the initiation ritual was part of the Pierce property and had historical significance, having been built with hardwood transported from Omaha. The barn was also associated with a past tragedy, as a relative had hanged themselves there due to financial ruin linked to corn prices and subsidies. The community’s social structure was further highlighted by the Mystique Lake neighborhood, where Laura’s family lived, featuring large lots and empty spaces to prevent overdevelopment.
