T. becomes leader when he suggests destroying Old Misery’s house and the group votes to do it.
The story takes place after World War II, where a group of misfit teenagers meet in a carpark to make trouble. Their leader is a boy named Blackie. The gang is joined by Trevor, who is called T. He should be ostracized because his parents come from money, but he has an air of mystery. They boys do not tease him.
T.’s rise to power comes with the information he has about Old Misery. Old Misery is a grumpy old man with a big house that needs repair from the war. Old Misery is trying to do it himself. The house doesn’t even have operational plumbing. On the day the group is voting what to do, T. is late and it turns out he was looking at the house. He tells them it is beautiful, and proposes they destroy it for their next project.
Blackie is opposed to the plan. He doesn't think it is possible for a dozen boys to do. T. disagrees, and suggests it be put to a vote. It is voted on, and T. wins.
T. said, “It’s carried.”
“How do we start?” Summers asked.
“He’ll tell you,” Blackie said. It was the end of his leadership. He went away to the back of the car-park and began to kick a stone, dribbling it this way and that.
Since Blackie was opposed to the plan, and T. seems to know what he is doing, the group willingly follows him. There is nothing Blackie can do. He has lost his credibility with the group. T. has a plan that appeals to everyone, and Blackie opposed it. He is obsolete. The project is T.'s so Blackie has nothing to lead.
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