While Nic Nelson has great mentors in his life, in the forms of Jason and Mr. Chen (https://nicnelsonadventures.com/2015/02/16/nic-nelsons-mentors-jason-mr-chen/), he’s also fortunate enough to have authority figures who positively impact him on a daily basis, as well.
Parents generally are our authority figures growing up, although authority can be vastly different from one parent to another when meted out, running the gamut from harsh to loving. One of the authority figures in Nic’s life – his mother – is a given. In a past blog post (https://nicnelsonadventures.com/2014/11/23/nic-nelsons-mom/), I detailed the relationship he has with her.
Sadly, Nic’s father is deceased, although references throughout the story give us some good insight into the kind of authority figure he was.
Because he doesn’t have a father in his life, male authority figures are important when they present themselves to Nic. He obviously is in need of that positive guidance and attention. Someone who provides these things for Nic – and much more – is Captain Spencer. Having “…served in Her Majesty’s Service…” for over 20 years, Captain Spencer came to “…the Colonies…” to serve as a butler. Nic meets him when he and his pals get a job raking leaves for the neighbors whom Captain Spencer works for.
From the first encounter with Captain Spencer, his charm and personality are hinted at by his winks and smiles and later by his subtle, dry humor. He also quickly endears himself to Nic when, on numerous occasions, Captain Spencer has his back. One can tell from the dialogue Captain Spencer has with Nic and the others that, although his words may sound a bit formal, he is also very genuine and “real.”
Although at first Captain Spencer may come across as simply an honorable and friendly neighbor, as Nic gets to know him better, he comes to appreciate that he represents much more. This especially becomes evident when Nic and his “gang” take on Johnny and his gang in a paintball tournament. Not only does Captain Spencer demonstrate and share with Nic the integrity with which he lives by helping them learn new skills and strategies, but he also attempts to build the team’s confidence by being a strong authority figure and sharing some straightforward philosophies on life.
As it turns out, Captain Spencer is not only an authority figure to Nic and his team, but he also is a respected authority figure in the neighborhood and community, as well. And true to form, he proves in Nic Nelson and the Diamonds of Denmark that chivalry is, indeed, not dead!