This excerpt continues to build on the relationship between Allie and Noah, using descriptive language to highlight their interaction and the setting. Here's an explanation of the potentially difficult phrases:
Key Phrases Explained
"I’ve had the traps out all week, and I saw that I had some good ones caged a couple days ago.": Noah is talking about crab traps, which are special cages or nets used to catch crabs. "Having the traps out" means he set them in the water. "Good ones caged" means he successfully caught some large, desirable crabs that are still alive in the traps.
"Do you mind?": This is a polite way of asking, "Is that okay with you?" or "Does that bother you?" Noah is asking Allie if she minds having dinner at his house and eating the crabs he caught himself.
"pointed over his shoulder with his thumb": This is a common, informal gesture. Instead of using his whole hand or finger, Noah simply points in a direction (towards the dock) by jerking his thumb over his shoulder. It's a casual way to indicate location.
"the tension she’d felt when telling him about her engagement was beginning to fade": This refers to the emotional stress or awkwardness Allie felt during their previous conversation about her engagement. As she's now in a more relaxed setting with Noah, that discomfort is starting to disappear.
"let the light breeze fan her cheek": This is a descriptive way of saying the breeze was gently blowing on her face, making her feel refreshed and comfortable. "Fan" here means to blow air onto something to cool or move it.
"the faint aroma of autumn leaves rode on the backs of soft southern winds": This is a poetic and sensory description.
"faint aroma": A very light, subtle smell.
"autumn leaves": The smell associated with dry, fallen leaves in the fall.
"rode on the backs of": This personifies the wind, suggesting the scent was carried along by the gentle movement of the wind.
"soft southern winds": Gentle breezes coming from the south.
Overall, it paints a peaceful and idyllic scene, highlighting the sensory details of the environment.
"looked at him almost as a stranger might": This doesn't mean she literally thought he was a stranger. Instead, it implies she was observing him with a fresh perspective, perhaps seeing him objectively for a moment, appreciating his appearance as someone unfamiliar might, rather than through the lens of their shared history and complex emotions. It's a moment of pure observation.
"the muscles in his arm flex": When a muscle "flexes," it contracts, becoming shorter and thicker. This action makes the muscle more visible and indicates physical effort. Allie is noticing the strength and effort Noah puts into pulling the crab trap.
"counted the number of chirps in a minute and added twenty-nine. Sixty-seven degrees": This refers to a common folk method for estimating the outdoor temperature based on the chirping rate of crickets. Crickets are cold-blooded, so their metabolic rate (and thus their chirping speed) is influenced by the temperature. The specific formula (number of chirps in 15 seconds plus 37, or in 60 seconds divided by 4 plus 40, or here adding 29 to the minute count) can vary, but the general idea is that faster chirping means warmer temperatures.
"Out here, outside the town limits, nothing was certain.": This suggests that the area where Noah lives is rural and less developed than a typical town. "Nothing was certain" implies a lack of modern amenities, public services, and perhaps even reliable infrastructure like electricity. It highlights the rustic, off-the-grid nature of the location.
"Thousands of country homes still lacked the luxury of indoor lighting.": This further emphasizes the rural, undeveloped nature of the area. "Luxury of indoor lighting" means that electric lights inside homes were not common or standard; many homes would still rely on older methods like lamps or candles for illumination.
The text creates a strong sense of place and atmosphere, using details about nature and the environment to reflect Allie's internal state and the quiet intimacy building between the characters.
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