What Happened at Quasi: The Story of a Carolina Cruise

A sweltering Charleston summer in 1886 provides the backdrop for a lively group of teenage boys perched on the verandah of the grand Rutledge mansion. While three of them lounge in cool bamboo chairs, the Bostonian newcomer, Dick Wentworth, battles the heat with frantic fanning and restless pacing, offering a humorous glimpse into the clash of northern sensibilities with southern hospitality.

Their idle chatter soon turns to curiosity about the sea’s promise of relief, as a sudden tide‑borne breeze drifts through the jalousies, carrying the scent of jasmine and the hint of adventure. The boys—each with distinct personalities—begin to imagine a daring cruise along the Carolina coast, a journey that promises both camaraderie and the unexpected challenges of unfamiliar waters. Listeners will be drawn into their youthful banter, the vivid Southern atmosphere, and the anticipation of a voyage that will test their friendship and reveal the charms—and perils—of a late‑19th‑century Southern cruise.