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This is the story in a nutshell. We think the story is going one way and then it takes a turn. I liked what was happening with Wyatt and Kensington, though. I'm sort of sorry the focus changed, but that is part of the brilliance of this story. The diversion is intentional; at least I think so. Hill begins the story with a character's name who won't be a key player. This is how you do a thriller in short story form.Wyatt believes his Rundown is to save the boy's life. To get help. But to me, the real Rundown in this story is between the Mother and Wyatt. Who will reach help first? Whose story is going to be believed? Mom's? A man jumped in the car and did this to me and my children? Or Wyatt? I came upon this ghastly scene and had to fight her off to get away?
Wyatt's future now depends on the interpretation of the scene.
Yes. He starts taking us one way and then boom! we're in a whole new postal code! Joe's writing and stories seem to birth so effortlessly.This is the story in a nutshell. We think the story is going one way and then it takes a turn. I liked what was happening with Wyatt and Kensington, though. I'm sort of sorry the focus changed, but that is part of the brilliance of this story. The diversion is intentional; at least I think so. Hill begins the story with a character's name who won't be a key player. This is how you do a thriller in short story form.
I worked at a video store in 1996. I pictured this story around mid-nineties; maybe because of my own history.Am trying to picture the time frame/ era of this story. The mention of punk and video store. Dana brought up an excellent point about how a good prosecutor would have him locked up. I wonder if that would be true today-- what tid bits of evidence/ DNA/forensic would have proven the mother's guilt?
once again Joe took us down one path, and shifted it with total ease. The more I read of his works, the greater the appreciation of his skills.
I don't think any evidence would point to the mother other than a random bill marked OVERDUE that had fallen from her purse. When Wyatt talks about her while mowing her lawn, he talks about the many credit cards, so, if he has a good defense, they will do a forensics on her spending and the mounting bills. That could help his story.Am trying to picture the time frame/ era of this story. The mention of punk and video store. Dana brought up an excellent point about how a good prosecutor would have him locked up. I wonder if that would be true today-- what tid bits of evidence/ DNA/forensic would have proven the mother's guilt?
once again Joe took us down one path, and shifted it with total ease. The more I read of his works, the greater the appreciation of his skills.
I was thinking maybe a tad earlier 1980"s. Era of hair color and piercings. ( besides, I'm a dinosaur era person- going way back) Yes, individual history is a factor in story interpretations.I worked at a video store in 1996. I pictured this story around mid-nineties; maybe because of my own history.
I don't think any evidence would point to the mother other than a random bill marked OVERDUE that had fallen from her purse. When Wyatt talks about her while mowing her lawn, he talks about the many credit cards, so, if he has a good defense, they will do a forensics on her spending and the mounting bills. That could help his story.
But, the DNA, his prints are on the knife. Blood all over him. His skin under mom's nails. She could claim she was fighting this big tough man and she's just a little itty bitty mom. The punches and broken wrist bones on mom from the bad man. Her prints were on the knife but she could claim it was because they wrestled for it. His shirt around the kids throat (although that does speak to him trying to save the kid.)
I think it would be a battle in court. And years from now, we'll be hearing about the Innocence Project fighting for his release.
...apparently so could she....When the story began, I thought it was going to be all about Wyatt and Kensington working in a video store and I was fully prepared to share this story. Dana Jean so adequately and completely summed up this story that I will do my own little "rundown".
When I was nineteen I worked at a video store called Movie Gallery, mostly nights and weekends. It was your typical glass-fronted store with only one door. Small circulation desk, dark movie theater carpet, blaring TVs hanging from the corners, the usual. One guy I worked with was about twenty, pale with blonde Rick Astley hair, and always popped the collar of his white shirt (uniform). He tried his best to get out of working. He asked me if I wanted to see his piercing, which I quickly declined when I learned it involved "stepping into the back room". LOL. I wondered if he was gay; did he think I was gay? I thought it was funny.
Then there was the forty-five year old woman with straight dark hair. We all joked with her by casually leaning on her shoulders; she was vertically challenged. She always came to work high. I remember having a bad stress headache and she bent over her purse and handed me a pill which I thought was an aspirin. I swallowed it with my drink and became suspicious when I got dizzy. "What was that you gave me?" She had a devilish smile. "It was a Xanax," she said. She then took out a compact full of pills like candy. She had Xanax, Klonipin (they were green), Percocet, Lortab, Oxycontin- you name it. She liked being bad and living on the edge. I came to this conclusion when I found her having sex with her boyfriend in his car behind the store on her break. It was dark and I couldn't see, but still. Who does that? She did. LOL.
I could go on.
When the story began, I thought it was going to be all about Wyatt and Kensington working in a video store and I was fully prepared to share this story. Dana Jean so adequately and completely summed up this story that I will do my own little "rundown".
When I was nineteen I worked at a video store called Movie Gallery, mostly nights and weekends. It was your typical glass-fronted store with only one door. Small circulation desk, dark movie theater carpet, blaring TVs hanging from the corners, the usual. One guy I worked with was about twenty, pale with blonde Rick Astley hair, and always popped the collar of his white shirt (uniform). He tried his best to get out of working. He asked me if I wanted to see his piercing, which I quickly declined when I learned it involved "stepping into the back room". LOL. I wondered if he was gay; did he think I was gay? I thought it was funny.
Then there was the forty-five year old woman with straight dark hair. We all joked with her by casually leaning on her shoulders; she was vertically challenged. She always came to work high. I remember having a bad stress headache and she bent over her purse and handed me a pill which I thought was an aspirin. I swallowed it with my drink and became suspicious when I got dizzy. "What was that you gave me?" She had a devilish smile. "It was a Xanax," she said. She then took out a compact full of pills like candy. She had Xanax, Klonipin (they were green), Percocet, Lortab, Oxycontin- you name it. She liked being bad and living on the edge. I came to this conclusion when I found her having sex with her boyfriend in his car behind the store on her break. It was dark and I couldn't see, but still. Who does that? She did. LOL.
I could go on.
That sounds like a fun place to work. Why did you leave?
...apparently so could she....
I was thinking maybe a tad earlier 1980"s. Era of hair color and piercings. ( besides, I'm a dinosaur era person- going way back) Yes, individual history is a factor in story interpretations.
Her boyfriend was nineteen. His libido and hers must have been simpatico because she saw more of the inside of his Bronco than the store....apparently so could she....