The Colorad Kid: What's the solution? ('Ware spoilers!)
I am of two minds about the events related by Vince and Dave.
On one hand, there's the most obvious answer--that the Kid traveled through space and time and "other worlds than these" (à la Jake Chambers or Pere Callahan) and that his chervonetz became something else in whatever territory he roamed. The Starbucks and Blockbuster stores were described as they may have existed in other worlds, and Mr. King says that this is not an error, but a clue.
It all fits rather neatly into Mr. King's universe.
I offer a different conclusion, though--Vince and Dave straight-up lied to Stephanie. There was no Colorado Kid. The whole tale was just another one of their exercises, a teaching tool designed to help her better herself as a journalist. As evidence, I point to their constant instruction while the tale was being told, making her think critically and puzzle everything out.
I also point to the errors about Starbucks and Blockbuster; Vince and Dave slipped those in either accidentally or (more likely, in my opinion) intentionally to give Stephanie an opening to notice the inconsistency.
Finally, I point to the fact that, while there were old newspaper clippings around the office for every-damn-thing they've ever worked on, Stephanie had never once seen one concerning the Colorado Kid, not even at the end where she finds one from the '50s about the Mystery Lights over Hancock.
Now, I don't say that this is what happened, I only suggest it as one of many possibilities. I hope that Mr. King never gives us another clue or any insight (and I doubt that he ever will) about the events in the book. As it stands now, the story is one of those brilliant works that you can chew over every so often for the rest of your life (much like Vince and Dave).
But what are your thoughts? What do you think happened?
The Colorad Kid: What's the solution? ('Ware spoilers!)
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