'“Bailey Boy!”' said I in an anguish. Notwithstanding his bald spot, wife, and three children, he is and will always be my boy. At that moment I looked at The Misfit squatting in front of me and all the while curiously thinking of Red Sam’s words. '“I just know you’re a good man,”' I suddenly said, '“You’re not a bit common!”' (32).
Oh, how can I salvage this situation that I have created? My story to the children of Mr. Edgar Atkins Teagarden and the little misunderstanding with his initials E. A. T. caused no great inflictions. My mistake here does though and just maybe the initials were some sort of ominous herald: Endanger After Tragedy. Who, endanger who after what tragedy? Well, that seems self explanatory.
I could have continued in my thoughts but his response to my wished statement was rapid to correct, '“Nome, I ain't a good man, but I ain't the worst in the world neither…”' so there it is the response a captive awaits to hear (32). At least it seems that he is in a way honest. He continued talking but it all just faded away from my ears as if I had closed them shut. I couldn't hear the rest.
I could not hear his continuation yet I could hear my boy reprimanding me after I unwisely recognized The Misfit. “Do you want to get shot?!” was all I could hear. Repeating. Unfading and instead becoming louder. Clearer. Now my son and nephew are on their way to the woods with two people in possession of weapons. I almost began to tear up again just like when my son raised his voice in frustration towards me.
Maybe The Misfit is just lost and needs some type of guidance. Treat people how you want to be treated, right? I'll be kind and try to empathize. Okay then pay attention. '“That’s perfectly all right. Maybe Bailey has an extra shirt in his suitcase,”' I briskly tried to answer after his apology towards us for his current state (32). I could not care less in this situation for his lack of wearing a shirt.
I heard my daughter-in-law yell in despair to him but The Misfit only ignored and continued on by talking about his father to me.
'“Daddy was a card himself. You couldn't put anything over on him. He never got in trouble with the Authorities though. Just had the knack of handling them”' (33).
‘“You could be honest too if you’d only try,”’ I began. ‘“Think how wonderful it would be to settle down and live a comfortable life and not have to think about somebody chasing you all the time”’ (33). Yes, maybe we’re heading somewhere, though, how I wish it would have been to Tennessee.
“Yes’m, somebody is always after you” was his murmured response (33).
I was standing looking down at him ironically as if I had some power over the situation. Well, perchance I could have some control oh how I hope to God that this is just another bump in the road. '“Do you ever pray?”' I asked (33). I had to ask. Maybe the presence of God, being in his mind, will inhibit any future performance of harmful acts.
Shaking his head he said, '“Nome”' (33). Oh for the love of God! He must also not be in want of any sermons. To tell him that if he kills us he will go to Hell! What else can I say? As I fumbled with my thoughts the unwanted sound which can only come from a pistol was heard. There were two shots. '“Bailey Boy!”' (33) was my instinctive response.
Selfish response it was, I must concede. The name John Wesley did not come to my mind. The mother that had just lost a husband and a son was only in the foreground. A background image to the ruckus occurring in my brain which seemed to be continually interrupted by this kid who is rebelling against the world. Playing with a gun and “scratching in the ground with the butt of his gun” (33) as if he were a child doodling with a stick in a sandbox.
His words kept escaping and I knew I had to stay attentive. '“Pray, pray... pray, pray”' was my response to whatever he had continued to say (33).
'“I never was a bad boy that I remember of, but somewheres along the line I done something wrong and got sent to the penitentiary. I was buried alive,”' he stated as he then looked me straight in the eyes.
It is quite simple as I see it. Pay for your sins. Maybe though, he got the short end of the stick. That is probably why he decided to buy a gun and rebel. So that he could play the same games he had before, but with a better stick. Maybe the penitentiary hardened a boy who would have been fine with just a slap on the wrist. '“That's when you should have started to pray,”' I said '“What did you do to get sent to the penitentiary that first time?”' (33). Maybe his punishment was not fitting for the crime?
Surprisingly as it is he forgot what he done. Like his forgotten crime, his exact response is unworthy of remembrance too if you ask me. '“Maybe they put you in by mistake”' I could only say (33).
'“Nome. It wasn't no mistake. They had the papers on me”' was his response (33). Great. No seemingly good escape. How are you supposed to persuade someone to have empathy for you when they make it purposefully difficult?
I said in an attempt to make sense of it all, '“You must have stolen something”' (33). Then I suddenly heard him say that he was told by a head-doctor that he had killed his father! My God but of course he was quick to deny it! He is obviously deranged. I could only respond saying, '“If you would pray. Jesus would help you”' (33). HELP YOU! HA, I MYSELF MUST BE GOING DERANGED.
'“That's right”' was his response (34).
'“Well then, why don't you pray?”' (34). Maybe there was some hope after all? Yes, maybe I can lead him to repent for his sins. If not lead him to feel empathy for me and let me free. He is not deranged I was just having an episode created by confusion, anger, irritation, and apprehension. He is a good man. He must be a good man. He has to be a good man.
He then said, '"I don't want no hep. I'm doing all right by myself"' and then asked his helpers to take my daughter-in-law (who carried the baby) and June Star to the same place my Bailey Boy was sent (34).
I was running out of time. Out of options. Wanting to tell him to pray, maybe with his eyes closed I could escape. Possibly hide. All that came out was "'Jesus. Jesus"' (34). It did not come out as I had wanted it to as I could not help but thinking of myself losing my faculties by calling this person and saying that Jesus would help him to do what was in his mind. What was in his mind?! Would he kill a lady that was nice to him?
The continuing conversation seemed lost. I was talking for necessity while not exactly processing everything that I had said or that was said to me. I once again tried to focus and said '"Maybe He didn't raise the dead"' (35). But what exactly had been said? I think he said something about killing and having fun while you can if Jesus did not revive people from the dead. Wait, what did I just say?
'"I wasn't there so I can't say He didn't. I wisht I had been there"' (35). He hit "the ground with his fist" (35). "'It ain't right I wasn't there because if I had of been there I would of known. Listen lady, if I had of been there I would of known and I wouldn't be like I am now"' (35).
Yes, I must be getting to him. He is just a lost boy like my Bailey who sometimes ignored me. I'll tell him that he is my boy. '"Why you're one of my babies. You're one of my own children!"' (35). Yes this will work, this will work, this must--