Laird: It's safe to say that, over the last few years, Laird has become my favorite character. There is absolutely nothing under the surface with him. Much like with Mattie, I admire all the qualities of Laird that I wish I possessed: Unadulterated candor, unfiltered thought, a complete lack of body image issues and an undeserved sense of pride. I don't think that Laird is stupid, but he certainly sees life as a straight, open, and uncomplicated road through his rose-colored sunglasses.

 Also - much like with Mattie - I am so charmed with the dynamic Laird has with Skippy. Despite his egocentricity, he still finds time to commit his energies to helping Skippy along through his journey, and being a devout friend... even though he mistakenly believes Skippy has an unrequited love for him.