“Like dogs,” Earnell continues. “There’s a long history of that, which I can tell you about later. Just an FYI,” he says before prancing away gleefully with the satisfaction of his chastising.

Connor’s round, non-Superman jaw hits the floor. Vermont, a liberal stronghold like California, did not prepare him for woke minorities from Keli’s metaphorical Compton. He isn’t aware of some of the racial trip wires underlying his comments and actions, but we are happy to teach him. Whether he learns or not will be up to him. I think back to the dinner at Professor Alexander-Grant’s house where he proudly proclaimed his color blindness and shake my head.

Earnell, Daniel, Gabby, Elizabeth, and I are all together and have been assigned to zone one, which is partitioned off with white rope. Zone two is enclosed with blue rope. Elizabeth, the only white person in our group, is a blue-eyed, blond, salt-of-the-earth, self-proclaimed “mountain woman” from Colorado. She has packed an assortment of survival tools, including a compass, flashlight, thermos, proper hiking shoes, and protein bars. Elizabeth can tell where we are by reading the direction of the wind. Earnell and I decide that if anything happens, Elizabeth and Gabby will have to save us.

I can tell Daniel is crushing on Elizabeth by the way he lowers the tone of his voice when he speaks to her, laughs at everything she says (even when it’s not really funny), and dragon smiles anytime she comes near. He looks at her like I look at my white Prince Charming, a gaze infused with a desire to belong. I guess he’s trying to find some worth in this white world also.

We find our first clue in a small envelope taped between two towering trees. Well, the others find it. Earnell and I are busy playing Date, Marry, Kill, pop star edition. “I’d marry Brandy, kill Monica because I secretly think she’s a hater, and date all three members of TLC. Polygamy could definitely be in my future,” Earnell declares proudly.

“Found the first clue,” Elizabeth shouts from a distance. Earnell and I clap like proud parents before continuing our game. “Well, I’m torn between marrying Ginuwine or John Edwards.”

“John Edwards?!” Earnell recoils in shock. “You really have been seduced by the white devil in only a few short months.” He shakes his head in profound disappointment.

In Cleveland, I would have chosen Ginuwine, not a handsome politician, but I’ve learned at Dartmouth the importance of status and wealth. I see now that the pie is actually massive, not small like I thought before, and I want a slice.

We all head in the direction of the next clue, which Elizabeth says is a ten- to fifteen-minute walk north, where the river meets the clearing. “Pfff,” Earnell says. “I literally have no idea what that means. We’ll just follow you.”