Trrs TneNrscrvrNG Vrsr.rot

oe6n

fo, to

T.ll.t'out mean! odd Hmderson ws the nemest human crearure

Ard I'm sp€aking ofa .welve-1ca-old bon not some groxtup who

hes hrd the time ro ripen a mturally *il dispositioD. At least, Odd!:s trelve in 1932, when w mre borh wond-graders attending a

seall-mm *hool in rural Alabma.Tall fot his age, a bony boy with muddy-red hair md narow )€l

lor e1es, he rowered over all his closmares-rculd have in aay event,

6r the rest of us were only smn or eight lcars old. Odd had failed

6m grade rrice md *a now sening his second rerm in the se.ondgnde. This rctry record wcn't due ro dumbness-Odd was intellig.nt, naybe onning is a bener rcrd-t'ut he took after the rest oftlle Hendersons. The whole family (there were ten of them, notcountins Dad Herdetson, who rru a boodegger and sua[y jn iail,all scrunched together in a fou-room house nst door to a Negro

church) \r a shifdess, surly bunch, oery one of them ready to doyou a bad ruq odd reo't the rcrst of tbe lot, md brother, that is

Many childr€D in our sch@l came from families poorer than the

Hendersons; Odd had a pair of shoes, while some boys, girls toq

THE CoIIPLETE STORIES OF TRUMAN CAPOTE

were forced to go barefooc righr through the bicrerest *€acher-

rhat's how hard the DePressiotr had hit Alab+ma Bur nobodv, Idon'c care who, looked as dom-and'our as odd-a skimv, freckled

s€arecrol, in sweacy cesFoffoveralls that would hart been a humilia'

don ro a chain-gang convict You mighr have felt Pitv for him ifhe

hadn t been so hareful All the kids reared him. no! jusr s \ounger

kids, but *en boys his om age and older

Nobody oer picked a 6ghr eith him excePt one rime a gnl named

Ann "Iumbo" Fi'chburg, who happened ro be the other rown bu v'

Jumbo, a sased-off but solid tombov with an all'hel-letloose

wresrliDs cechdque, jumPed odd from behind duritrg recess one

dul mornin& a,1d n took three ceachers, e*h ofwhom must have

ushed the combatot! would kil eeh other, a good long while to

seprate them. The result \6 a sorr ofdraw: Jumbo lost a tooth and

halfher hair and develoPed a gralsh cloud ia her left eve (she nevet

could see cle* again); odds afflicdons included a broken rhumb,

plus sc(atch scars thrt wil stay wilh him to the d'v they shut his cof'

6o. For months aftermtd, odd Plafd every kiod oftrick co goad

Jumbo inro a rematch; bucJurnbo had gotten her licks and gave him

considerabte berth. As I would have done ifhe'd let me; alas, I wEs the

object of odds relentless attentions.

Considering the era and locale, I was fairlv wel off-living, as I di4

in a high-ceilinged old counrry house situ'ted wh're the town ended

and the farrns and forests beg1n. The house belonged to drstaat rela-

.ilts, elde+ coulins, and rhese cor.rsins, rhree maiden ldies 'rdtheir ba€helor brother, had t l(en me under their roof because of

a disrurbance a.rnoog my more immediate famih a custody batde

rh.t, for inrclved realons, had left me stranded in this somewhat ec-

ceotric Alabama household Not that I was urhaPPv thete; indeed,

moments ofthose few years ru$ed our to be rhe haPPiest Part ofdoth€rwise dimcdr childhood, mainlv because the voungest of the

cousins, a womm in her sixties, became my firsc friend As she w* a

child herself (many Peopie thoughr her less chd chat, and mur-

THE THANKSGTvTNG VrsrToR

mured abour he! 6 chough she were the twin of poor nice Lester

Tucker, who .omed the screets in a sweet daze), she understood chil-

dren, and understood me absolutely.

P.rhaps ir wa strsge for a young boy to have a! his besr ftiend maging spinster, but neither ofus had d oidinary oudook or brk-sround, and so it war iflevirable, in our sepdate loneliness, that we

should come to share a friendship apart. Except for the hours I spent

.r school, rhe rhre€ ofus, me md old Queenie, our feisry litde rar !er-

rier and Miss Sook, s seryone called my friend, were almost al$ays

together. we hunced herbs ir the \roods, went fishing on remote

creeks (wich dried sugatcane stalks for fishing poles) md gathaed

curious ferns afld greeneries that we trosplmted md gew withrr.iling flourish in tin pails and chmber pors. Mosth though, our

tife was lived in the ki.chen-a farmhouse kiccheo, doniflated by a

big black mod-burning stove, that wo often dark and sunny at the

same.ime.

Miss Sook, sensirive a shy-lady fern, a recluse who had never trav-

eled beyond the couty boundaries, was rotally unlike her brother

and sisters, rhe larter being do\tn-to-earth, vaguely msculine ladies

who operared a dry-goods store and sewral o.her business wnrures.

The brothea Uncle 8., owned a number of cortor fems scarrered

around the countryside; because he refused ro drive a car or endure

any coDtacr whate\,€r with mobilized machinern he rode horseback,

jogsing aI day from one properly m anoth€r. He {r€! a kind man,

.hough a silent one: he grunced rs or no, and rea.lly never opened his

mouth except ro feed ir. At aery meal he had th€ appetite of dAlaskan grizly afcer a winrer's hibernation, and it war Miss sook s

rask to filI him up.

Breakfat w6 our principa.l mea.l; mid&y dinf,er, ucept on Sun'

dals, od supper were casual menus, often composed of leftovers

from the morning. These breakfasrs, served pronptly at 5:30 A.M.,

were regular stomach swellers. To the preseot day I retain a nostalgic

huDser for those cockcrow repcts ofham and fried €hicken, fried

242243

n.rL choDs, frted c'rnsh fled squirrel lrn season) fned eggs'

['i,; ;l;; ;,:;';;,..rxk eved peas corrards u(h (ouard Irquor

l:l:lilJ;;;."'"in br'(uiis Pound'ake Pan('kesandm-o'

il:J;;.;l;.r"...b. home'nad'e iams ,"d rerrie"we€r mrLk

fi."r-'*,'.",*" **'-fl'tor€d and hor a! Had's

The .ook, 'ccomPanied

by her ass$ta$rs' Que'nie and myself'

-,"'*- -"*i" i' r"'r ronre the *ow and vc rhe rable and ger

::il;;;;;;:""* ai rhar hour wls no*he hrdshrp ir m'v

lllil, .'.i-"." *"a -,i ,"d anldav we arwav<weni ro bed a'5soon

:iil'.:: il,J ;J,1"'," li::*1,:;Iillil,lliflliiend wa-s not as f6il as she teemed' thotrgh sr

:;lI;;;;"."" -ere huched \he had s'irong huds and

:::;;;:;" ..,,. --" *:l *' 1"'1,:fl:":l :[:"il::r'*"a ,*-' shoes she lnunablv wre sqt

1,1i1""" i."" *i *"''dnsunhed race' wirh rts deric'terv crumsv

iill,."' *l tl**,. ,urhr,r eves bespoke r rortirude rhr( sus-

'i"'"J'i,-,' -"" *";"'ad orar rnrenor sprriruat shrne than the

iis,lle su'rx" or m"r" mortal health' -.-drhenumbetofhands

Neverth€less, dePendins o' '1" '"*'l i-",,-"" * -*y * n"

.dDloved on Uncle B' s farms' rh*e wete sor

llil''"",i1'"'.r*"'''o thos'drwnbinque6: rhe handswereen'

'fi:J::Hi::*;; ;l x:::; :*::;,;il'J5*lr N.ero worna rd"' "' * "r

r luvand unreliabie butcrern rhe house and do th"

'::'"1 :: l:":",#;r';';;; ;,r lifelons friend of Miss sooks.*irch.m:Jt

ihe work herself. she

,- -n.la"' rePlx'ns hN.rnd simPrv^:']"r.ri.r."",.,".r."r",.a

.hooDed6rewood rended r large menagerle

;::::il;;.;""' mended a, our cto'lhes: ver when I came

il'.. ii"l "t'"' "" -as arwavs eager-to k*p m€ comPanv -to

llilJ"..J-,-" """t -ook d rush offm a mushroom hunt or

Ii-:;;i;^;;. "'." we s$ 'n

rhe kirhens w*ng rr'lernoon

hsht, helP me wi(h homework"".i" il'""a ,o,*" *"'mv kxtbooks (he seosrrphr arlas espe-

crallv r'oh, Buddv.- she would say because sh' 'aled me Buddv'

:;1,;;;;-. a rake named rrricaca rhrt rearv *iscs som'where

'].i" *"ii:,

", edu(auon sas her educaEion as werl Due to her

"iioi.". *""". *" n, had almo$ no schoolns: her h'ndwrnins

i.]-I ""i"' "i "t-;t ""Ptions the sPeurns a highrv personat ud

.t."*,ff-" , ..,f a A'eadvwure ard read wirh asmootherassur

1""" ,n* 'i" ** **'e ofthough she msas€d (o "srudl'one

"ii" ii"r,". "*t o" -d never mtssed Lirlle orPhan Annie or

:;" #;;;:';* .omi(s'arried bv'!he Mobrre PaPer) she

-"i "i'L,i"" **" * 'oui' rePor' cards f Gosh Buddvr FNe As

'""* .u,i-*lli a.* a*" to iope m'd get an A in arirhmetic")'

* -*l -r',"" - *' -hv I hared s(hool' whv some mommss T

*"0, *o p,*a"a *nh 'ncle

B" rhe deciding vorce I n the house co

"';;;;;;.;^", thar t hated schoor: what t hrred was odd

";;;;;".".-""" he conftivedr For instln'e he used to wart

;;';;;';J.* ""der a Mter oak rhat darkened an edge or

:;. ..;";;;;;;* . his hmd he herd a paper sack sruffed with

..tut-.i+u* -rr."ed on hrsmv ro school rhere ws no sense

l'-.1"" - """". nt.' tr he wa' qu(k a5 a c^il'd snake: like a raF

:;; ;;;;;,..-"..e ro rhe ground md hrs sr*tv evts greerul

::;;;;;;;.; ; mv s..rp usuanv a cir're or kids s'nsed

"..""i - ,t""" - **eni ro; thev didnt reallv rhink it tunnp but

:il;tr,".;"" ""d readv to Please' Later' hidrns ia a tolet

i i" *":1"... i"'"* untansle the bu s knor'ing mv hrr: this

.".f...". -a *"vt *ernr mtssing ihe 6rsr b'll''-

O". ,".."d-t-U" "*her Miss Armsrrong' was stmPathetic' for

*."*."*,"a il* ** naPPening: but evenruailv exa-sperated by

;; ;;;:;;.;-".' .he ruged aL me rn rronr oT: :11-Y

THE CoMPLETE SroRIEs oF TRUM^N CAPoTETHE THANKsaIvINc VISIToR

'l'

'*u.u* ot" *n**. what a brg head he hasl rvaluing ln h'rc

;;; ;;;;,"'",r.".,r" berr' A harr hos " \there"":l':'5,-il'p."*a *

"uo n-derson md shouted: "Ye[ at him'

one lo blame. The sonafabitch''

245

THE THANxsGIvING VrsIroR

THB CoMPLETE SroRIES oF TRUM^N CAporE

I knew a loc of curse words }f( 'ven I $Et shocked when I h€rd

-i- ii*i."*,.** rn .,n awrtr s.ence sd Miss Armsrrons'

:J:**il;;;;;i:,i' *,,':y,'if :,#,: J*:;:: ::;hands. str. Palms uP, sn Then' whtle Udd n(

l'l.i.ii.t-" '-il. *" tris*red the Parms or mv h ds wrth her

br.rs-edeed ruler unrilthe room blurred'"'? *ii"n" ' "'*

* smarl Pnnt io risr the rmarnr!iv' Punrsh'

-j;: &;il;:',. *.rr ":"':i.ii ili*,[""117*.< the serxe ofdour expecrarions he

'ndu€:?#; ";;;;;;'i

r asked him "r'ishr ou'[ $ha( had I done

l,j.5"i"i"iir*" -. 'o muchr suddenrv he relared r't me roose

:""IH:'|r;;;a;'', r'm ius, slraishren,ns lou our 'He was

lii.i',*.,.i"r.,'"';' and the mom"nr h' srid rt r reariTed rhere

Hl'.-i;;;.:; " 'o arter his rudsmenr o'[he.ho

'loughen

mvselfto accePt od defend rhe fact"''*,".. * i 'o'*o

*e Peace ofihe w'rm krr'hel w:ere a'lr'ej''

",Io,i"i, * .""-'"t * "la

d'g "p uon" and mt iri'nd Pu*er ms

I:' l';1";;:";;;;'r'r or oid Hendmon -ourd bre$edrv sride

.-^* -..h.ulders Bur Loo otreD rr nltsht' rhe nat rou lton eves

[::":1,':;T;,il,r" i', iu,' r,""n *'*.'ronouncing crLrer

Promises hr'sed rn mv ea o(casionJty crres ansrng

Mv friend s bedroom was ne'r to mnei

.# -J.ui-''" """":* *:T' l:;*:l ;::f:l: :T;,"rl sha.ke m' out of 3n odd Henderson

il;,H;;;:*"* "*" "'*1 3":"'" she\ shaking And

:li- '.

,"r",",, i",i" *""gins wet' Ma)be $< ousht @ cJ Do'tor

;;; ;;;;';*'"- .n"' r' "';' " r"'"" 'r'"

r'*u rha'[ Ir was'be'

:il:#;;;,;i;""'boor'ror rhad 'lordand

rord her howodd

Henderson rre ed me'"'l]l ..- i:J ',."* terkrns ibolr.ic nev'r m'n'ioned ii anv

-J*.'i.""*'." ;i"."0 :" *-"':'::?:":H

il',|]ITi:*"1:,s bd as I made hirr our' lnnocence' Pre:

;::::;;:il;r''sora(edMrsssook kr'[herincapabreoFen'

comPassing an eul 50 comPLere

246

"oh,' she mighc say, rubbing hear inco my chiled hands"'h' onlv

-.t , "n

,., .r, ofpJ""v He ' not smarr and Prelw as vou are''

l. ,.* '"1""a""rn" "tng

ro keeP 'n

mind BLrddv' is thrsbovcl" t

i",, *'1', "i,r, n" -"* r know env difrerenr' all rhose Henderson

.i.L*. r',*'*a ',

n'a' And vou can lav rh'at rr D;d Henderson s

J.." , O"n, ,tn" ." *, n, but that man never was 'rything

ex€ePr a

i*.nl"? *o " .r. ,tu *u know utrcte B' horsewhiPPed him once?

.."'i. n. i*,-* " o;s d hoBewhiPPed hrm on the sPot' rhe

i"..i,"*,r'* *". n"pp*ed $E! when lhev locked him uP JtsLrte

;*.. u.i. i;";;";'"orrv Henderson beror' she married Dad'

,'i',i*" .. 'r,*" .t" -as and fr'h from snmewhere aross rhe

.*. ii"-*.'*o a. t"oe Dmvers dom rhe rod' le*rune ro be a

O'.""-.UJh" *"a to Oiss hete and see me ho€ing in the gdden-

.".ir ,.t'," "",,

*nn '"*lv

red hair' md so rppreciatiw ofewrv

.it"']i..",,i* * t'" her a bunch of sweet Peas or a raPonica'

,"oli"l* i*r' '" 'otr'cianve' rhen she besan srrorrins bvdm

,, ..- *t* orAn*a""on-and him so much older and a perfecr

,..- Or"r*, **. *tU' rhe t'rd must haw H$ re&sons' But ii s

,]i-"-., ".rt.- '

o" rnore thar rhirw-Eve rd rhere she rs with-

"", ".."rn *'n* t*a * a dlme m her name Nothing but a house-

ii .r "r,ira.""

.o feed You've sor ro take al1 that into account'

Ruddv. and be Pa.Eienr'""-",."r., *f'r. ** tn" u'e ofdi\cussing 't? Pinallv Ehough my

n,""i i,J -.t**o 'he seriousnes of mv despeir' rhe realiza'

,,"" *,*"0 '.

, O"*' 'ay ard *as nor the outcome of unhappv

,i*:r. *"** l" otJins scenes with uncle B It happened one

,,i"v November rwilighr *hen we w're si(flng Jone tn the kirchen

)il.1t..'i or"-"-" ore.upper was over' rhe dshe' sracked ard

..,"*;i";;.i* i' " "'ke'

s"'"'s I courd hed mv rriends

;;:.:";;;;;";;""nderrhe rkppinsnoiseorrain on rheroor

;;;;,;;.,..' ;, worrre*nd t M' no'[ r(endins' rhoush I

-.. "J,"* .n* n* *Ol*t was Thanksgiving' then a week auav'

"'"" ."""t"' *O ""*' "'auied

(Uncle B had 'tto'r

ma'ried' but

t'. i'.".* ."-.".0 tn" "ngagernent

ring when she sw rhat sharing

247

THE THANKscIvINc VIsIroRTHE CoMPLETB SToRIES oF TRUMAN CAPoTB

r house wirh rhree verv rndrvidurl 'prnsrers uould be ptr ofthe bar-

:;:;;;; il;*red ex,ensive tamrrv c"nnecrions rhroush'

il:;;;:;;,;,:;"',". aprenry ard o aun! Mr\ Mdv ravror

;;i;';;; *r," *,..." h'[rndred sd three v'ears ord As our

i.""" *ri.* r."*' *a the most convenienrlv looted' it i{as tra'

i.,"., a. .n*"-""'io's ro aim themselves our wJv everv vear ar

-;-.;i;;.";t rhere were serdom rewer chan rhirw cere'

;.;,,.:,;.".; ","rous chore because qe Provrded onrv the

se(,ns and .n amp,e num*.:l'i:1:.:::Y:.; ,,"m con,ribu,ins

The suesrs ,uPPlied rhe lrimmrngs ea<n (

t"" "..1*r"..r*' o'" 'ousin rw(e removed' Hdriec Parker from

;i;;;;,;J" r".i".,.mbrosia '[ransPrlenr ordse dices com'

ilfi; ;;""d t.."d coconuq Harriecs sisrer Alice usua,v ar'".;::..;.,

a ai'u or *r'pp"a and *isinsr the

.""ii" ,I'i"i ".

*o '

rs Bir conkrin and their quarret of hand

;;";;;;;;.'. ;;",. broughr a dericiou5 arrav or wgerabres

.,""; il,," the mmd Mv own favorice was a cold banana

;il;;,;;"d re'rp" or ir'" s(ienr runr who desPrre her

il;'1 ;:.;,i;.,"'i''ar' "'"'g"'i'' .. o"' *rrow she rcok rhe

"""i* .iin il. **" *" oied ir 1e34' ase one hundred dd flve (and

il;,;;;;;;-;"".'!hecurrainrshewas "'iackedandrrampredbva bull in aPrcure)'"" ;;;'*; *-*r'nson rhese ma(erswhire mv m':ndwan'

.".J;;;;;; ;-;" * -eianchorv as rhe vtt twilight suddeolv 1

r'""ra r'* o'ir.r.r"" 'p 't'e kitchen table: "Buddvl"

'You havent Iistened to one word'"

-,i',1" *n, *"0 *" "rkevs

this vear' u4ren I sPok€ 'o

uncle B'

,""",i" n" '"0 * **"d,ou to krll them' Dress rh'm too"'

-ll'"111r."",rr, ," -nou how '!o

do lhrnss rike 'lhar

'

.r"#*.r"t-* '*r" u's job tr w6 s ordeal for me ro watch

him butcher a hog ot eve. wling a chicken's rcck Mv rriend felt the

*-" wav: neirher "f us ..uld abide anv violence bloodier than swat'

ting tlies, so I was ral<en aback 'r her carual r'l'ying of rhis com-

Now she smiled. "Of course you won't I'[ ger Bubber or some

other colored boy Pay him a nickel Bur," she sdd' her tone descend-

inc conspirarorially. lwe ll l€r Uncle B' believe it sat you Then he II

t"-pr""..a -a "op -r.g ir ' 'uch a bad rhrng''

"whar's a bad thitrg7'

"our always beini rogecher He s'vs vou ought to have other

ftiendr, boys your om a'ge. Well' he's righr"'

"I dofl'c want Y other friend "

"Hush, Buddy Now hush You've been real good to me' I don'r

know what l'd do without vou' Just become m old crab But I want

to see you happy, Buddy. Sttong, able ro go out in the world And

y"" '";*"' s;;;s.. ,""1vou come to rerms with people like odd

H.nderson and curn rhem Lnco friends''

"Himl He's the lalt friend in rheworldlwan'"

"Please, Buddy-invire that bov here for Thanlsgiving dinner'"

rrrougrr tte pair or us occasionaUv quibbled' we oever quarreled'

At firsr l"was u;.ble to believe she neant het request as someching

more rhan a smple of poor-tcce humor; but then' seeing rhat sh€

*a! serious, I reatized, with bewilderment, rhat we were edging

toward a faUing-out.

"I choughr You were mYf;e'd "

"I am, BuddY TrulY."

'lfyou were, yo,: couldnt think uP a rhing like th't odd Hender'

son hares me. He's mY era,l ""He can'r hate you. He do€snt know you "

"wel,I ha.e him."

"Because ),ou dorlt know him That's a1l I ask The chance for,Du

to know eaci other a lhtle Then I think this rrouble will stoP And

249

THE COMPLETE STORIES OF TRUMAN CAPOTE THE THANKSGIvING VIsIroR

maybe you're right, Buddy, m+e vou bovs won'r ever be friends'

But I doubt rhat he'd Pick on )ou oy more'"

"You don'r understand You've never hated anybody'D

"No, I never have. we're allofted just so nuch rime on earth' and I

woulaln't sant the Lrd to s€e me wdting mine in any such mannei"

"I won't do iL He'd thinl I was 'razy

And I would be "

The rain had ler uP, leaving a siletrce rhat lengthened miserably

Mv foend s .led eyes co nremPlared me as though lwere a Rook cdd

she ws decidhg how ro plav: she maneuter'd I salt-pepper lock or

hair offher foJead and sighed. "Then l will' Tomorrow"' she said'

"I'I put on my hat and Pav a call on Moly Henderson " This sate-

meni cotified her derermiration, for I'd never known Miss sook to

Dlu, (all on ,one, not on\ because she uas ennrejv urhour so-

d:l rrlent. but also be(ause she ms too modesr to Presume a wel-

come. "I dont suPPose rhere wil be much Thanksgiving in rheir

house. Probably Molly would be verv Plesed r' have odd sit down

wirh us. Oh,I know Uncle B would never perrnir ic' but the flice

rhing ro do is invile them all "

Mv lauehrer woke Queenrer ard afrer a surprised rnsrmt mv frrend

la,,gr,"i r".. He,.he"ks pinked and a Ughi flared in her eves: rrsing'

shiugged me md said, "oh, Buddv, I knew vou'd forgive me ddrecognize there was some sense ro mv norion ''

she wm mistalen. Mv merrimenr had other origins Tm one *"rthe picture of Uncle B. carviog turkey for.ll those canlankerous

nenierrcns. rhe *cond was: Ic h'd occurred to me that I had no

cause for atarm; Miss Sook mighr excend the inviration 'nd

Odds

mother mighr a.cePt it in his behale but Odd wouldn'r shos uP in a

ne would be too proud. For instance, throughout the DePression

,eu,. our schooldsrribued free mrlk and sald$iches ro Jlcbildren

$hose families were oo Poor to P'dide rhem qth a lun(h box' Buc

Odd, emaciated as he *as, refsed ro have anlthing to do wirh these

handouts; he'd wder oft'by hinself and devour a Pocketful ofpeanuis or gnaw a large raw turniP- This kind of Pride \6 characteF

isricofrhe Hendersonbreedr they might steal, gouge the gold out o[

a dead man's teeth, but chey would ne!€r accePt a gift onered oPenh

for mything smacking of charity was offensive to them. Odd was

sure to 6gure Miss sook's invic.tion 6 a charireble Sesture; or see

it-and nor iocorrecdy-as a bl&kmailing stunt meant co make him

I went to bed thac nighr with a Iight heari, for I was certaifl my

Thankssiving would not be marred by rhe premnce of such an un-

The next motning l had a bad col4 which was Plearanq it meant

no school. lr also meanr I could have a fire io my room and cream-of-

tomato soup md hours alone with Mr. Micawber and David Copper'

6e1d: the happiest ofsByabeds. Ic was drizzling agaiq but ftue co her

promise, my ftiend ferched her hat, a straw cartwheel de'orated \ ith@ather-faded velver roses. and set our for che H.nderson home. "Iwon\ be but a mirute," she said. In f.cr, she was gone che better Pdtofrm hours.I coutdn't imagifle Miss Sook sustaining so long acon-

vers.tion ex.ePr with me or herself (she talked to herself ofreo, a

habi! of san Persons of . solitary nature); and when she returned,

she did seem drained.

scill wearing her hat and u old loose raincoat, she diPPed a ther'

momerer in my mourh, then stt ar rhe foot oflhe bed''1like her,"

she said 6rmly. "I always haw Iiked Molly Henderson' she does atl

she can, ard the house e6 clean ar Bob SPencer's Engernails" Bob

spencer being . BaPtist minister famed for his hygienic gleam "bur

bitter cold. wnh a cin roofend the wind right in the rood and nor a

screp of6re in the fireplace she offered ne refreshmenc, and I surely

would have welcomed a cuP ofcofree, bur I said no. Because I don'tqpect rhere {€! any coffee on rhe Preoises Or sugar'

"k m.de rIIe f.el ashamed, Buddy. It hurts me aI the my down to

se somebody srruggling lile MoUy. Nryer able ro see e 'lear

dav' I

250 251

THE CoMPLETE SToRrEs or TRUMAN CAporE

dorlr say peoPle should have evervthing thev wanr' Though' come !o

ctri"t oi it, r a".,:t s"" *r'at's nong wirh rhat, eirher You ought to

have a bike ro ride, and whv shouldnl Queenie have a beef boft

aerv dav? Y.s, no$ ir s co I Lrndersrsd: we re'Iv aI

"f us .,gtrr rc r,^e **yrhjng we w'nt' I ll ber vou a dime rhar s

what the Lord inrends. And when all around us we see PeoPle who

can't satis& the Plainest needs, I feel arhmed oh, not ofmyself' be-

."u* who am r, an ord nobodv who n*er owned a nritq ifl hadrlt

had a fanily to Pay my wav, rd haw stared 'r heen senc 'o

the

Counr/ Home. The shame I feel is for all ofus who have 'nlthing

extra when other people have nothing

"I mentioned to Monv how we had more quiLs here rhan !'e 'ould

.ver use-thereh a trunk of scBp quilts in the attic, 'he

ones I made

when I was a girl and couldn'! go outdoors much- Buc she cuc me off'

sad the ne;rsons were doing just 6ne, rhank vou' and the onlv

thing rhey wanted wa Dad to be set free and senr home to his peo-

oh. lMrss Sook, she told me' Dad is a good husbsd no ma(er

whal else he mishr be Meanwhile. she hd her 'hildren ro cere ior'

"And, Buddy, you musr be Mong abour her bov odd Ar least Par'

ri.Iy. MoIy says het a great hetP ro her dd a great comfort' Neler

complains, regatdless ofhow marv chores she gives him Sa)' he can

sing'good s you hear on .he radro' and when rhe younger chiJdren

",i,l.r "" , *.1*. t

" .m quiet rhem down b\ sl nslns

'o them

sless us." Je hmented, retrieving rhe thermooetei' "a[ we can do

for people like Molly is tesPecr them and remesber them in our

The rheroo'netd had k€Pr me silenr; now I demdde4 "But whai

abour rhe inviBrion?""Sometimes," she sai4 scowling at rhe scdle' rhread in the glass'

"I think thes€ eyes are gMng our' At mv age, a body srarts to look

around,€ry cloely. so you'li remember how cobwebs reallv iooked

Buc to ansrer your question, Molly wa hapPy to hear vou thought

enough of odd to dk him over for Thanksgivi'g And"' she contin'

THE THANxsGIvING VIsIroR

ued, ignoring my 8roan, "she said she was sure he'd be tictled ro

come. Your temperaruie is jusr over rhe hundred mark. I guess vou

cm count on staying home tomorrow. That oughE ro bring smilesl

Let's see you smile, BuddY."

As it happened, I wa5 smiling a good deal during the next few davs

prior to che big feast, for my cold hed advanced co crouP and I sas

out ofschool the entire period. I had no conr1ct wirh odd Hender-

son md therefore could not PersoDally ascertain his reaction ro the

invitarion; buc I imagined it musr have m.de him laugh first ud spit

n*i The p.ospect ofhis a.tu*lly appearing didnt worry me; it \i€!

6 farftt hed a possibility as Queenie snarling at me or Miss Sook be-

rr.ying my rrust ir her.

Yet odd remeined a Presence, . redheaded silhouette on ihe

rhreshold of my cheerfuhess still, I was tmralized by the descriP-

cion his mother had ptovided; I wondered if it was true he had

another side, that somewhere undernealh che evil a speck of hu-

maneness existed. Bur thlt was irnpossiblel Anybodv who beli4ed so

would leare their house r:nlocked *hen che gypsies came ro coxn Alt

you had to do va.s look at him.

Miss Sook war as?re that my crouP was not as s-ere as Ipretended, md so in the mornings, when che others had absented

.hemselves-Uncle B ro his farms dd the sisters to their dry'8oods

store she toleraed my gecring out ofbed and even le' me ssist

in the springlike house.leuing rhet always preceded che Thanksgiv-

ing dsedbly. rhere was such a loc ro do, enough for a dozen hands'

we polished rhe Parlor furnirure, the Piano, the black curio cabi

net (which concained only a fr.gment of Stone Mountain rhe sis'

rers had brooght back from a buliness lriP co Atlanta), che formal

walnu! rockers and florid Biedermeier Pieces-rubbed them with

ledon-scetrted ws until the place was shinv as lenon skin ddsmelled like a cicrus grove. Currains were lauDdered and rehung, Pil-

lo\rs punched, rugs beaten; wherser one glance4 dusc motes md

cifly fearhets drifred in the sPa*Iing November lighr sifting through

THr CoM?LE rE SToRrEs oF TRUMAN Capor!

the ra.ll rooms. poor eueeDie w4 relesared to rhe kircheD. for fearrhe mrghr lerw a s ay hajr. perhaps. fler. ,n rhe more drSninedareu ofthe house.

_ The most delicace task was preparing che Dapkins aDd tabtectochs

tha. rculd decorare the dining room. The tiao had belonged ro myfriend's molher who had receiwd ir .s a wedding gifc; though ;t hadbeen ued onty once or twice a rrar say rwo hundred rim;s in rheprsr eighry vears. newrihet.ss ,r tr"s eiShry,eds old, and mendedparches and-freckhd djscoloradons wtre rpparmr ftobrbry ii hadnor bee. a frne marerial !o begin wirh, bur Miss sook rrcared ir a!though it had beer woven by gotden hands od healrnly tooms: .Mymother sai4 'The day may come when ail we .an oEar is welr \rEcerand cold cornbread, bur at leasr we,ll be abte ro serve ir on a rable serwirh proper ]inen.,,,

At nighr, afrer the dals d2shinS about md when the rest ofthe house \B dark, one Gebte lamp burned lare while my friend,propped in bed wirh napkiDs massed on her lap, repaired btemishesand rears wirh rhread md Deedle, her forehead crumpted, her eyescruelly squeez4 yec ilumin.red by rhe farigued rapture ofa pitgrimapproaching o attar ar journey's end.

. From hour ro hour as the shivery rotls ofrhe fdasEy courrhouse

dock rumbered ten od ereven and c-elve, r irould waie up md seehd lamp scil lir, and would drowsily lurch inro her .oonto r€pri-mod her: "yououghr ro be asle.p!,,

"In a minure, Buddy. I can,! just no!r. when I rhink of alt rhecompatry coming ir scdes me. Srarrs oy head whirting,,, she srd,ce6ing ro sdcch and lubbiog her eyes. ,,w7hirting wirh srars.,,

chrysmtbemums:some as big as a baby's head. Bundles ofcurtedpenny-coiored leaves wirh flickeiing laveDder uderhues. ..Ch8sen_themums," my friend commented 6 we moved rbrough our garden5rrlking flower-show btossoms slrh decaprraring shears, -ee likeI'ons. Krngiv ch lfreB. J altrays er?e.r lhem ro rp,,g. ro rurn onme wirh a growl ud a roar.,,

254

THE THANKscrvrNc VrsrroR

It was che kind of remark rhar caused peopte to wonder abourMisr sook. rhough I undersr.rd rhrr ontv,n rerospecr. for I alwayskre" iusr $ har sh. medr. and rn rh,s insrance rh. whote ide. of ir,the nocjon ofiugging al rhose growjing8orgeous roaring Irons rntothe house and cagrngrhem in Lackyrases lour final decorarive e!onThdkssiving Eve) made us so siggty and giddy ad srupid we weresoon ourorbreath.

"Look at Queenie,,, ny friend said, srurcerinq wirh mirrh. ,.Look

at her elrs. Buddy. Sredrng rnajghr up. She\ ;h,nking. wel. wharkind of luDarics are rhese lm mixed up wirhi Ah, eueenie. Comehere, hone, I'm going ro gii€ you a biscuic dipped in hot coffee.,,

A lively day, char Thdksgiving. Lively wirh oD-dd-off showersand abrupt sky clearings accompanied by chrusrs of raw sun andsudden bandir winds snarching aurumn,s teflo!€r leaves.

The noises ofthe house were tovely, roor pors and pans md UncleB.'s unused and rusry voice .s he srood in the hall iD his creakinssunday suir, greeting our guests as rhey arrived. A rew cane by horse-back or mule-&awn wagon, the m.ioriry in shined-up farm cruct(sDd rackery fliwers. Mr and Mrs. Conkiin dd .hei. four beaurifuldaughrers drove up in a minr-greeD 1932 chewoler (Mr. Conklinwas well ofl he omed s*eralfshing smackers .har operaced our ofMobile), aJ' object which doused warm curiosiry amo.g rhe menpresentj chey srudied md poked ir dld aI bur rook itapdr.

The Ersr guesrs ro erive {rre Mrs. Mey Taytor Wheelwrighr, es-cofted by her custodims, a grandson and his wife. She wa! a precylittle rhing, Mrs. v&eelwrightj she wore her age as tightty..s the rinyred bonner rha(. tike rhe.herrv on a verlla sundae s perkJy aropher milky hair "Darlin, Bobbn,, she said hussirg Uncle B., ,l reaLiz;weie u irg-bir efflv. buL vou knw me..lwa)s puncruJ ro a f.uh.wc,ch war an apology desened. for it uas nor yer nine o ciock andguests werent expecred much beto.e noon_

Ho\\'eee\ de,?botb affiv.d earlier rhm we iDtended-ex€epc rhePerk Mccloud family, who suffered two blowours in the space of

255

THE TH^NKSGIViNG VIS]TOR

TlrE CoMPLETE SToRIES oF TRUMAN CAPoTE

*'.'n::n';'r::l;:H i;r r,!-:ji*iiffiH,:::.',ril:#; ;::i::::*;:1":.:;:'iiffi:.:#

il[]i[1#il"rjjfi ::ix,#;;n::::;":';:::rable sathering'

.;i#5:i;:'ffi :"H*:;l ;::l;l ;l;l ;r-:f:{:

And'o n M' some *hire aco I had a re(er fromqon';:T,:;::"1:

.,'".'. ,." *" *n" "" ""*t *p'"' -"ilJil";;;;".." *.*,.*,'r ,t'"r .r*" 'r'* ,''T:l::il::*,',,h.nks8,vinss k

;J: ;jJ,:X,TH::",j'"j $:J:':::ffi;;; i',i" oarv'r'

11 :"'::: ::l',i:l;", .- .*,1'';,::ffi"*ii ll"-lllH'Jx,:',f, :::'",;* Il"::l:"..:i#i:iutl l*:::;L.ll,LTJ"'JJ;, .ii';;;.

=-:..='':'";i:':'

j:ii: xffi ::i,"*n*. ,r" a**,n.,' ::::::,::::fi:;*-, rue. uis. sook

:*H:;::::""I;i:;iri:".Ti:irx";r'I:,:r*:;*1"::

H'*"s'r*Hfu tri[:;iiiil,;fii:;.ilrhe nr e redorence ofc's": '1" "'i1.,, L,i',i" "", "r

,t"rorroise\herr richness rhev 1".-*:::;':::ffi;."i*"0. *. *

t"i:"::::"'y,i:'::"',:i'ilii-::iiriTf x'$ffi:::: g: :,il:H:H'il:,, :,r:'"* jT,l'J Jlii

was,he ordes, ot,he s sr'e:'.:::'::.5H":::ff[:: :i;:";.^ n,.k amons tnem 'ur Lr^r .-- - , flalorful. sweer buii"igr', on. ,t""gr',,or"pf':::.:TI5.il"r,,"

'*,"r or. w€t

m$-ti*md**i#r'.*rn:*ffi ;

''lll".tTiinl:,l:::: y:::l,t * ;,,il# I* :*:Twith her rh$ I fert odd.H'*"::]"::l T:,';;;,. say. an experi'h,m berore r s'w hirn:th" '"':" " P"" lll'-l,i,r.

" nnie.o,bobcet

""."a *".a"- "r*'rnpending

encounter u

'"l':i.l:,".,h*e,he re*ow.srood arii:.$',i";;:,U"**:

'" halfour' To othershe musr beve seemeosl

l.lil'Ji.i,.ll;;;;;-:::::n:::l':.'x:::*:TIbv Prnnc ano sr':ll,-l

--i".,-.,. ***."a rnd sitr,st.r,! ';i :il:lli:?:'iH: *:.":*tf ;i::"L'il::t1," ,".'rld ni show up, vu* ' *' --

brme rhis awaired dey.

'oua *-" *' or'p"'"* "

*'o""l:t-li"i i". 6rm. .crobtic

However. odd had nor ve' '"" *:-lll^ o*,. *o dverad h!m,

6nser5 somersaurBns ove' *" -"Ti'l:".:;. *li.,gl'n" n,toihe wes wrchingher' Ii* **:'"1 *ll lr'i]i"i. ni"" n "-come upon rr". ai*ored ar. -"*'i"::":1,:;;;; ni, a,".ay ..a,. ift,"'-"," "o*"'pr"a"t :'"'"

*"":: ]:."""

""daTedhim I q,.!

exs raabecome prmren'l' *:'"i::1t-; ;;;, ,he hau ro ch.

able !o squeeze direcdv Pasr him ano ru

k,tchen. "He s here:" . , .r. L^urs earhe( moreoEr rtrMv friend had comPr'ted n* *'1-, 'l-i;;,, ;" n, o*" t,o'

had rwo corored women h"'o'" "ll.)lT',** "

preense of k GP'

ins in (he kit'hen sin(e o" Par1':1":;;*-;lldof minsrins,.!,h" * "a

q*""i" 'mPanv

rn rrucn s

256

257

with any group, even one comPosed of reldi!€s' which was why'

a*o,* i.-,."ri-* o' lhe Bible and its Hero she reelv went (o

.i,'l.i. "**"n 'r,"

r"*d all thtldren and was at e*e with rhem'

.i" ** ".. *.1*"0r" * a child ltr she codd nor accept benelfas

. *". "t

-t.*"*t *O '' a (oIecoon ofrhem behaved like m aq k-

*li "."in,"ar, ",,"". -d E(herarrcrushed' Bur the

'rd'z ofParties

"iu,-"ir..i*r, " , otry she couldni take Part rnvisiblx for ihen

how festive she soutd have fel('

I noriced thar my friends hands were rremblingj s

u* """J.",nt -"';""a of calico dresses' tennis shoes and Uncle

,." a"J"a "***", "e had no

'lothes aPProPriate to srarchv oc-

l*,"*.i.*, "t" ** ast inside somethins borrowed from one of

her stout sisters, a ffepy naly-blue dress its owier had worn to er"erv

funeral itr the courry since dme remembered'--lt J" r,.."," , ,"r.'-"a her for the third tim'' "odd Henderso' "

"tt* -n, **" *",nn him?" she said admonishinglv "rhaCs

"- oai,", a,aar. Hat y"uI Parcicul'r guest You ou8hr rc be out

.here seeinghe meels everubodv and has a good 'im€

'

THE CoMPLETE SroRIES oF TRUMAN CAPoTETHE THANxscrvlNc VlslroR

Hauling me oflward, mv friend introduced hersdfto him: "Buddy

and I, *"'ie * happy 1." could come " odd had the manners of a

Uly go.t, he aia. r sta"a uP or ofter his hard, h'rdly looked at htr

."i it -e ""t at .ll p.unted bur dead game, mv friend said' "Mavbe

odd wi[ sing us a rune. I know he can; his nother told me so'

Annab€I, sugar, Play som€thing odd can sing'"

Reading back,I s€e that I havent thoroughlv describcd odd Hcn-

derson's eais-a maFr omission, for thev s€re a Pair ofeve<atchcrs'

like Aralffs ln the c/Lr Gdng coredv Pictures Now' because of

Annabel's fl.ttering re.ePrivity to my friends requesc' his ears be"

came so be*-brighi it ma& )our eves smart He mumbled' he shook

his head hangG but Ann.bel sid: "Do ,ou knN 'I Haw seen th'

Lishi?- He didrl,but her next sugges(ion was greered with a Siin of

reioenicion; rhe biggesr fool could iellhis modesry wes aI Put on

oiggl,ng. ennabelstruck I rich chord' md odd in awice Preco'

"i",i,--i,t* ,-q 'when Ehe red' red robrn comes bob bos bob-

Uln A".g"ir'" ea,-: "PPle

in his t'nse ihroac FmP'd: Amab€l's

enthusi.-im .ccele.ated; the somen's shri[ hen charter slalkened as

rh* becrme a*are of the enterrainmenr' odd was good he could

sins ror surc. and rhe jealousv charging through me had enough

poi.. to "t""t"o.ot"

. -.rderei Murder was what I had in mird; I

codd have killed him as easilv as sw't a mosquito' Easiei

once more, unnori€ed e\€n by mv friend, who w* absorbed in th'

musicale, I esclPed the Parlo! and sought The Islmd That sEs thc

name I had given a PIa.e in the house where I uenr whetr I felt blue

or iftxDlicablv exuberant orjusr when I wanled ro rhrnk thrngs owr'

rt ws r mammorh cloec anached rc our only bathtoom: rhe beth-

roon itseli excePr for ics sanitarv fxrurcs, was like a cozy winter PaF

tor, -;trr a io*Jr,a. tove "eat,

scattet rugs, a bureau' a fireplace and

framed reProductions of "Th' Dodor's Visit," "sePcemb'r Morn'"

"The Sam Pool" ard calendars ga'tore'

There were two small stained-glos windows in the closeti loznS€'

Iike patrerns ofrose, amber ud green light filt€red through rhe witt'

dows. which looked out on the bathroom ProPer' Here and thctc

259

"I6r'r I c.n\ sPeak to him"'

""""'i. *" *'r"a .' n"r Lp having a head rub: mv friend (ood

,"]J,-r.t q*en" -o disciosrng a srerch ofnarv-blue marerial

.i.t*"i *,n o* n".. 'eid 8'dd)' You mear vou hiven.r sPoke'

,l *t.r,",r."0**s obLerared her omidiry: akingme bv the

h:nd. she sreered me to rhe Parlot''-;n.J '", hru tretLed owr odd's werare rhe choms of

Atrf,abel Conklin had dram him to rhe Piano lnde€d' he was

'.."..n"0 * O^a" *"n rhe Piano seat'slrting rheresrudlngher

orrn.iir-u*, n'' "*

opaque rs the orbs ofrhe sruffed whale |d

."",i,n" *rn-", *r'"" " rounnghonkv+onk pa'ssed rhrough rowrt

,. *- "a*."*a * ,'" of,gjMl MobJ |{ck- and n (ost 6!'e

'enrs ro

;;;; *.,,'* *r',t a s,,*t of (rooksr). A< ror Annaber' she

*."ta nO, *.f, *y.n-g that 'alked

or crawled-no' that's unfair'

f.t-n 1'- *Afy . f."- "f generosity, of simPly b€ing aliv€ Sti[' it

ga* me a h".r m se" he' playing cure \tich that mule skinner'

tHn aoMpr.FrE SroprEs oF TRUMAN CaPo rE

patches ofcolor had faded from the glass ot been chipped auag by

applying m eye to one of rhese clearings, ir ws possible to idendry

rhe room's visitors. Afcer I'd been secluded rhere awhile, brooding

ws my enemls success, foorsteps iDtruded: Mrs. Mary Taylor

wheelwright, who stoppedbefore a mirrot smacked he( face with.powder puff, rou8ed her anrique cheeks and then, perusing the

effect, announ ed: "Very nice, Mary. Even if Mary says so herselt"

lr rs well knoM rhat women ouLLve menj could ,r merely be.upe-

rio. vsiry rh.r keeps rhem goingl An vay, Mrs. wheelMighr sweet-

ened my mood, so when, following her depature, a heaitily rungdinner bell sounded through rhe house, I decided to quir my refuge

od enjoy the feast, regardless ofodd Henderson.

Bur just rhen foorseps echoed again. He appeared, looking less

sulen than I'd ewr seen him. strutly. whisding. Unbuttoning his

trousers and Ietcins so wich a forceful splarh, he whisded alotrg,

jaunty ar a j+nd in a neu ofsunflowers. Ar he w..s leavirg, m open

bo: on the bureau summoned his acrentior. Ir w6 a cigar box inwhich ny friend kepc recipes torn out of newspapers ud other junk,

as well a a caneo brooch her father had long ago given her. senti"

mentel lElue aside, her imagi.ation had conferred upotr the ob.iecc a

raR cosr.iin€ss: wbenever w. had caue for seflous gri*ance agan*her sisters or Uncle B., she would san "Never mind, Buddy. we'll se[my cameo and go away. we'll rake the bus co New orleans." Though

ne\€r discussirg what we would do once we arived in New orleans,

or what we would live on after the cameo money rm out, we both rel-

ished this fanr6y. Perhes each ofus secredy realiu d rhe brooch was

orny a Seds Roebuck noveltf all the same, ir seemed to ur a talisman

of rrue, rhough unteste4 magic: a cham thac promised us our free-

dom ifindeed we did decide ro pursue our luck in falled spheres. so

my friend never wore it, for ir w6 rco much a creasure co risk irs loss

Now I saw Odd's serilegious firgers reach roward it, wacched himboun€e it in the paLE of his hand, drop it btk in rhe box and turn

260

THE THANI(scrvrNc VrsrroR

ro go. Then retu.n. This rime he swifdy retrieved rhe carneo and

sneaked it into his pocker. My boiling fiisr insriftrwas to rush outof the closet md challeoge him; at that momen!, I believe I coddhave pimed Odd to the floor &t-well do you recalt how, in sim-

pler days, funoy-paper arrisB used to illustrate the birrh ofm idea

by skelchins an incandescenr lighc bulb above the brow ofMurc or

JetT or whomever? That's how ic was with m.: a sizzting lighc bulb

suddenly radiated my brain. The shock and brillidce ofir made me

burn md shiver laugh, too. odd had huded me o ideal instru-

ment For reEnse, one that would make uP for all the cockleburs.

In the dining room, long tables h.d bee. joined to shaPe a T.

Uncte B. wd ac rhe upper cenrer, Mrs. Mary Taylor wheelmighr at

his righ. md Mrs. Conklin at his hft. Odd was seated between rwo of.he Conklin sisrers, one ofthem Anoabel, whos. complimenrs kept

him in rop condicion. My friend had put hetselfar the fooc oftberabie mong the youngest children; accotding ro her, she had chosen

rhe position because ir provided qui.ker ecess to the kirchen, but ofcourse it war be.ause rhat was where she wished to be Queenie, who

had somehow gor loose, \,!€s under the ralle-.rembling and was-

ging wi.h ecsrasy s she skittered becween che rows of legs but oo-

body seemed to object, ptobably because they were hr?norized by che

uncared, iuriously glazed turkel's aad the ucellenc aromas rising

€rom dishes ofokraand corn, onion fricrers dd hor mince Pies.

My om mouth would have wacered ifit hadn'c gone bone'dry at

.he hedt-pounding prospect oftotal revenge. For a second, glancing

ar odd Henderson\ suftused face, I experienced a fragmentary re-

gret, bu.I rea.lly had oo qualms.

Uncle B. recired grace. Head bowed, eyes shut, caloused hands

prayerfully pked, he intoned: "Bless You, O Lord, for the bounty

ofour table. rhe varied fruirs we cm be thankful for on rhis Thanksgiving Day of a troubled yee"-his voice, so infrequendy heard,

€roalcd wirh rhe hollow imperfeccions of an old orgm in an aban'

doned church "Amen."

261

THE CoMpLE TE SroRIES oF TRUMAN CAporE

The., 6 chrrs were adjusred and.aPkins rusded, che necessaiv

pause I'd been tisre.ing for rrived. "someone here is a thiet" I sPoke

clearly od repe.red the accusarion in even more measured tones:

"Odd Henderson is a chiel He scole Miss Sook's cameo."

Napkins glemed in suPended, immobilized hands. Men coughe4

rhe Conklin siscers ssped in quadrupler unison md little Perk

Mccloud,Jr., began ro hiccup, as very young childre' Mll whe' smr-

ded.

My fliend, in a voice teerering between reProach and anguish,

sai4 "Buddy doesn't mean rhaL He's only reasing."

"I do mean ir. Ifyou don't believe me, go look in your box' The

cameo isnt there. Odd Henderson has it in his Pocker."

"Buddy's had a bad crouP," she murmured "Don't blame him,

odd. He hdn't a no.ion what he's saying."

I said, "Go look in your box. I saw him r.ke it."

Uncle 8., scaring .t me wirh u alaiming win$iness, took charge.

"Maybe you'd bettet" he Eold Miss sook. "Tl'a' should sertle the

Ir was not ofteD lhat my friend disobeyed her brocher; she did not

noq Bu! her pallor, the mortified mgle of her shoulders, revealed

eith what disraste she accepced rhe errard. She was gone only a

minute, but her absence seemed an eon. Hosrilitv sproured md

surged aound the table Iike . thorn'encrusted vine growing vithun€anny speed and the vic.im EraPPed in i* cendrils was not rhe ac-

cuse4 but his accuser. Stomach sickness griPPed mei odd, on the

ocher hdd, seemedcalm s acorPse-

Miss sook rerurned snilirg. "Shme on rou, Buddy," she chided,

shaking a finger. "Playing thac kiDd ofjoke My.aneo was exa.tly

where I Iefr ir."Uncle B. said, "Buddy, I wmc to hee you apologize ro our

guest,"

"No. he don't have to do chac," Odd Henderson said, rising. "He

was telling rhe truth." He dug ioto his Pocket and Put the cameo ofl

rhe rable. "I wish I had some excuse to give. Bur I ain'r got norc-"

THE THANI(s6rvrNc VrsrroR

Starting for che door, he sai4 "You mustbe a spe.ial ladn Miss Sook,

co fib for me like chat." And chen, damn his soul, he walked righr out

so did L Except I ran. I pushed back my chair, knocking ir over The

crarh Eriggered Que.nie; she scooted from under the cable, barked

dd bared her reerh. AndMiss Sook, as I went part her, tried to srop

me: "Buddy!" But I wured oo partofher or Queenie. That dog had

snarled ar me md my friend had calrcn Odd Hendersorls side, she'd

lied to save his skin, betrayed our friendship, my loe: things I'drhought could never happen.

simpso.'s palture Iay below rhe house, a meadow briliant withhigh November gold and russer grass. At the edge of the pascure

rhere stre a gray bain, e pig corral, a fenced-in chicker ydd od a

smokehouse. It wa! the smokehouse I slipped into, a black chamber

cool on even the hottes! summer days.Ii had a dirrfloor md a smoke

pit that smelled of hickory cindets and oeosotq rows ofhams hung

from raftere. Ir was a place I'd always been \ry of, bur no\ its dark'

ness seemed sheltering. I fell on the grouad, my ribs heaving like the

gilts ofa beach*rranded fish; ad I didn'r care .hat I s"r demolish-

insmyonenice suit, che onewich long trousers, by chrashing about

on rhe floor in a messy miture ofearth and ashes dd pork greae.

One thing I knew: I w6 goiog to quit that house, rhac rown, thatoight. Hit rhe roed. Hop . freighc and head for California. Make

my living shinins shoes in Holl}ryood. Fred Asraire's shoes. Clark

cable\. or inaybe I just might become e movie srar myself Look ar

Jarkie Cooper oh, thdd be sory rhen. vhen I Ir rich and famous

and refused to answer thei. Ierrers md wen telegrams, probably.

Suddenly I rhought of somerhing that would male rhem even

solrier. The door to the shed v6 ajar, and a knife ofsunshine q-posed a shelf supporring weral bottles. Duscy bonles vith skull-

md-crossbone labels. IfI druk from one ofthose, then all ofthemup there in rhe dining rcom, the whole swilling md gobbling caboo'

dle, would know what sorry *"!. Ir ws rcrth i!, if only to witness

THE TIANI(saTvING VISITORTHE CoMpLETE S roRIEs oF TRUMAN CaPorE

Utrcle B.'s remorse when rhey found me cold endsriffon the smoke-

hose floor: wotth ic Eo hear che humd wails 3nd Queeniet howls

as ny coffin *€s Iowered iflto cemetery dePths

The only hit h s€!, I wouldnt acrually be able ro see ot het aay

of rhis: how could I, being dead? And unless one can obsetve the

guilt and regret ofthe mourners, surely rhere is nothing sacisfacto'y

Uncle B. must have forbidden Miss Sook to go Iook for me until

rhe last guesr had left Ehe table. Ir was late afternoon before I heard

her voice floating across the Pa re; she caled Inv na'ne sofdv' for-

lornly as a mourning dove l srayed where I was and did nor answer'

k war Queenie ho found me; she 'me sniffrng 'round the

smokehouse and yapped when she caughr mv scent, rhen enrered

ard crawled towatd me and licked mv hard, an ear aad a cheek she

knerv she had .reded me badly.

Presently, the door suung oPen and rhe [gh! widened Mv friend

said, "Come here, Buddy." And I sanred to go to her When she saw

me, she laughed. "Goodness, bov. You look diPPed in ta and all

readyfor featherrng But there were no lecrrminr'ions or references

Queenie Eorted orT ro pesrer some cows; and rrailirg after her

inro the pasture, lve sat down on a lree stumP "I saved 1'ou a drun-

stick," she said, handing me 3 Parcel M'PPed in waxed PaPei 'And

your frvoure Piece ofNrkey. The pullev"

The hunger thar drenensrnons hed numbed nos hrr me Irke a

belly-punch. t gnawed the drumstick clean, rhen stripped che pullev'

the sweet part of rhe turkey around rhe wishbore'

while r was earing, Miss Sook pur her am around mv shoulders

"There's just rhis I wdt co say, Buddy- Two wrongs nertr made a

.ight.It s€s Mong ofhim to Eake the caneo But we don't know why

le roor< it. l.laybe he nwer meant ro keeP ic' v'ha!€!tt his reoon' ic

cm'c have been calculated. Whi.h is whv whar vou did was much

worse: ),ou pLrr.d to humiliate him. It was delibera'e Now listen !o

me, Buddy: chere is only one unpa.donable sin-delibeure wlry. Alelse cm be forgiv.n. That, ftver. Do you understand me, Buddy?"

I di4 din y, and rime has taught me thar she was righc. But at

rhat domenc I mainly compreherded that because my revenge had

failed, my merhod must have beer wrong. odd Henderson had

emerged-how? why? as someone suPerior to me, even more honest.

"Do you, Buddy? Undersrsd?""sorroa PuU," I sai4 ofrering her one prongofthe wishbone.

ve split iq my halfwas rhe larget which e'titled me ro a eish. She

wmred to know wha! I'd wished.

"That ,ou're sril my ftiend."

"Dumbhead," she said, and hugsed se.

"I worlt be here forevet Buddy. Nor will you." Her voice sank like

the sun on rhe pasture's horizoD, *as silent a second aad then

climbed with rhe scrength ofa new sun. "But yes, foreve. The Lond

willing, you'll be here long .fter I've gone. And as long as you remem-

ber mq rhen we'tl alwals be together." . . .

After{ar4 Odd Henderson let me alone. He starred tussling wirh

a boy his om age, squirrel McMillan. And the nexr year, because ofodd's poor grades md general bad conduct, our school PrinciPatwouldnt allow hi,l to attend closes, so he spenr rhe winter wo.king

as a hmd on a dairy farm. The last time I saw him xas shordy before

he hirchhiked to Mobile, joined the Merchmr Marine and disaP-

peded. Ir must have been rhe )tar before I w6 Packed off ro . miser-

able lace in a military academy, and rwo years prior to my friend's

dearh. Thac woutd make ic che aurumn of 1934.

Miss Sook had sumlioned me to che garden; she had trans-

planced a blossoming chrysmthemum bush inro a tin washub and

needed help ro haul it up the sreps onto the front porch, where itwould make a frne display. k was heavier than forry fat pirates, rndwhile we were struggling wich it ineffe.rually, odd Hendcrson

pssed along lhe road. He paused ar the garden gate and thcn

261265

THB COMPIBT! STORIES OF TRUMAN CAPO,TE

--^--,r ir <,vinq. "L'et me do rhar for you' m"m ' Lite on 1

::.:TJ ;,ili';"; 1;' * c":'''" i l'L:lii "::;['l",ll,,llJi.'* ".,""'g h"ideepened'ro a ruddv brown

in "a.t"ot*

*o '"a o"'ed rr on rhe Porc:"-- ..-. ..i"hb;"r?i'""i Ji, ff ;Gd to vou' sii rhat {a! neichborrv'1

,*s::;"1""i1j;:i''J:fl.::Tffi ry::-'l^.,::.I"*.H:;li::iHil n''''-*" " 'n' o'"0*' "

her mY love "''Thank You, ma'rm t uu'

":11#: i;': ;il : ;." y"':ral."-: J::1 ;::;*"y* '.'. r,

*'* ,'"',ilIT."^II]***.*"rli:"T*,Tffi"*ffi :*'Jlil1T::i:;:;T;:'-1:l1"."i "rJ*.

. r"",, t**" o*n

256