Preston's Dive
Preston's dive was never really tied up or explained. Was he a junior Olympiad? Did he dive for a traveling circus? Why the dive?
shareWell, an 'Olympiad' is a four-year period in between Olympic Games, so I don't think he was a junior one of those! Perhaps you meant to say 'junior Olympian'.
Apart from that, what explanation are you looking for? Does it matter where he learned to dive? Where did Skipper learn to sail, or where did Alice study medicine, or where did McRae learn Shakespeare? All these questions are just as valid as yours (ie. not very valid at all!)
Fair enough, but there really is no need to get snippy in your remarks. I was merely asking a question. I still see it as a loose end. Most of the central characters' backgrounds were referenced or at the very least alluded to (Beaumont's controlling father, Gieg's remote parents, Gil's obsession with his deceased brother...). We know very little about Preston's background. The youths aboard appeared to come from either upper middle class or privileged backgrounds, yet Preston struck me as somewhat of a ruffian. His elocution and manners were that of someone from a lower class socioeconomic status. How did he afford the semester on the Albatross? Further, if he was such a streetwise ruffian, where did he have the time to perfect such a high-dive?
Just curious is all.
[deleted]