The W.E.

Whit's End has become almost empty. Nick uses the quiet little theater for gloomy rock songs, and Whit cancels Connie's shifts because there are too few customers. Nick explains that the children now gather at Novacom's new Kids Center, which feels fresh and current, while Whit's End seems stale by comparison. Asked where he would go if he were their age, even Nick chooses Novacom.

Whit visits the Kids Center with Nick and finds virtual race cars, a three-dimensional theater, games, and attractions based on Novacom programs. Liz and Nathaniel are embarrassed to be caught there and pretend they were about to leave. Whit reassures them that they have done nothing wrong and admits he would probably enjoy the place at their age.

The visit still troubles him. Nathaniel has won first prize at the county computer-science fair, and Whit did not know about it. The missed news confirms a deeper fear that extends beyond losing business: the world of young people is changing, and Whit no longer feels connected closely enough to reach them.

He walks to Tom's orchard and picks far more apples than intended while brooding. Tom listens as Whit admits that he feels irrelevant. Technology and fashions have changed, but Tom believes children remain much the same at heart. If Whit no longer knows what they need from Whit's End, Tom suggests that he ask them directly.

Whit invites every child to offer ideas, however unusual, as long as each addition has a useful purpose. Suggestions include a climbing wall, virtual shopping that teaches budgeting, a much faster Imagination Station, a planetarium, new ice-cream flavors, skateboard ramps, and a candy-cane forest. Some proposals are thoughtful, some silly, and some try very hard to attach a lesson to simple entertainment.

After two weeks behind covered windows, Whit unveils the W.E., a modernized version of his shop. A cyber café puts a computer in every booth so customers can type food orders instead of speaking to the person behind the counter. The Imagination Station races through scenes for young attention spans; one visitor experiences the entire book of Genesis in three and a half minutes and emerges dizzy.

The changes appear to be a huge success. The building fills with more children than ever, and Nathaniel praises its speed and excitement. Yet when Whit tries to discuss Nathaniel's work at school, he discovers that his news is two weeks old. Their conversation quickly ends, leaving Whit surrounded by customers but still separated from them.

Whit later finds Nathaniel quietly studying the old Tower of Babel display. Nathaniel has seen it many times and calls it simple, but he still loves the way it tells its story. He admits that every new feature is exciting and well made, yet the place no longer feels like Whit's End. Whit confesses that he prefers the old shop too.

A visitor named Mary Hopkins reaches the same conclusion. Before the renovation, she saw children gathered at the counter and talking with Whit in a way young people rarely speak with adults. Now they sit alone at screens and send their orders electronically. The shop has exchanged relationships for gadgets. Trends may attract attention briefly, but the old Whit's End reached children through something timeless.

Mary owns Mary's Story Shop, a respected chain of children's bookstores. She has admired Whit's End for years and proposes combining its approach with her company's reading programs to open a second location in Connellsville. Her organization will provide planning and resources if Whit provides permission and expertise. She asks him to consider the offer rather than decide immediately.

Whit rejects the trendy W.E. name and begins considering which improvements to keep and which to change. He has not yet accepted Mary's proposal; operating another location would require enormous time and responsibility. He promises to pray seriously. When Tom asks how he feels about the opportunity, Whit does not call the question settled - only inspiring.