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| Categories | Short Stories & Anthologies |
| Author | John Grisham |
| Publisher | Arrow (May 27, 2010) |
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 352 pages |
| Item Weight | 8.6 ounces |
| Dimensions |
5.08 x 0.87 x 7.8 inches |
I. Book introduction
Ford County is a collection of novellas by John Grisham. His first collection of stories, it was published by Doubleday in the United States in 2009.
The book contains 7 short stories or novellas:
- Blood Drive;
- Fetching Raymond;
- Fish Files;
- Casino;
- Michael’s Room;
- Quiet Haven;
- Funny Boy.
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In his first collection of short stories John Grisham takes us back to Ford County, Mississippi, the setting of his first novel, A Time to Kill.
This riveting collection of short stories features an unforgettable cast of characters: Wheelchair-bound Inez Graney and her two older sons embark on a bizarre road trip through the Mississippi Delta to visit Inez’s youngest son, Raymond—on death row. A hard-drinking, low-grossing divorce lawyer fed up with his wife, his life, and the law plans a drastic escape after an unexpected phone call. A quiet, unassuming data collector sets out to bring down a flashy casino owner with his skill at blackjack—as payback for the theft of his wife. A stalker hunts victims in a retirement home, a lawyer confronts a vengeful adversary from the past, and a young man from a prominent family is driven off by scandal and fear—but finds unexpected redemption on the wrong side of the tracks.
Often hilarious, frequently moving, and always entertaining, this collection makes it abundantly clear why John Grisham is our most popular storyteller.
Editorial Reviews
- “Grisham shows off his literary chops: He can do wry, emotional, funny, serious.” —USA Today
- “The best writing John Grisham has ever done.” —Pat Conroy
- “Terrifically charming . . . You absolutely can’t stop reading.” —The Washington Post
About John Grisham
John Grisham (born February 8, 1955 in Jonesboro, Arkansas) is an American novelist, lawyer and former member of the 7th district of the Mississippi House of Representatives, known for his popular legal thrillers. According to the American Academy of Achievement, Grisham has written 28 consecutive number-one fiction bestsellers, and his books have sold 300 million copies worldwide. Along with Tom Clancy and J. K. Rowling, Grisham is one of only three authors to have sold two million copies on a first printing.
Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University and earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981. He practised criminal law for about a decade and served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1983 to 1990.
Grisham’s first novel, A Time to Kill, was published in June 1989, four years after he began writing it. Grisham’s first bestseller, The Firm, sold more than seven million copies. The book was adapted into a 1993 feature film of the same name, starring Tom Cruise, and a 2012 TV series which continues the story ten years after the events of the film and novel. Seven of his other novels have also been adapted into films:
- The Chamber,
- The Client,
- A Painted House,
- The Pelican Brief,
- The Rainmaker,
- The Runaway Jury, and Skipping Christmas.
Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.
When he’s not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.
John Girsham lives on a farm in central Virginia.
II. Reviewer: Ford County
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1. FRED CAMFIELD reviews for Ford County
The author starts on the dedication page with a short summary of his beginnings as a writer. He notes, “When a Time to Kill was published twenty years ago, I soon learned the painful lesson that selling books was far more difficult than writing them. I bought a thousand copies and had trouble giving them away. I hauled them in the trunk of my car and peddled them at libraries, garden clubs, grocery stores, coffee shops, and a handful of bookstores.” He has progressed considerably since then, but this collection of seven short stories returns to Ford County.
The first of the stories, Blood Drive is a funny romp about three country boys from Ford County, Mississippi, making a trip to Memphis. I have to think that the author was inspired by reading William Faulkner’s “The Reivers.” The writing style is much simplier, and the results are somewhat different, but still, three country boys heading to the big city opens a range of possibilities.
Fetching Raymond is about the Graney family, three brothers who have always been in trouble with the law. They are accomplished car thieves, although one has gone straight. Two of the brothers have accompanied their mother to fetch Raymond, the third brother, from the state prison. An interestng story with its moments.
Fish Files is about a small town attorney who feels he is trapped in a dead end job. He is always looking for a big score, and an opportunity suddenly opens up. He is not entirely honest with his clients about settlements.
Casino is about a local entrepreneur who has observed that casinos run by Native American tribes are making money (he lost enough of his own). Now he only needs to find a tribe that he can affiliate with with a little creative geneology. But he finds himself matching wits with a sharp minded individual, after he makes off with the man’s wife.
Michael’s Room is a dark story about an attorney who finds that winning a case at all costs can have consequences. There is more than just winning.
Quiet Haven is about a new assistant at a local nursing home who has his own agenda. His real reasons for working in a low paid dead end job become apparent as the story progresses.
The last story, Funny Boy, is about a young man with AIDS who has returned home, and deals with people’s prejudices.
Overall, it is a good collection of stories, many dealing with contemporary situations.
2. JIM CHERRY reviews for Ford County
In an episode of the TV show, 3rd Rock From The Sun, the Soloman’s are sitting in a living room reading books, Dick asks what the others are reading, they reply, the “new John Grisham about the idealistic young lawyer” and they all switch books. That’s the way I’ve felt about John Grisham’s novels, they’re fast paced, keep the reader turning the pages, with a chase followed by an explosion, there wasn’t much depth to the characters, and the books will entertain you for an afternoon, but after you’re done there’s not much left to hang onto, they were interchangeable. With Ford County, Grisham plants those literary roots and takes hold, trading fast food for a feast.
In Ford County Grisham doesn’t stray too far from his legal roots, most of the characters are lawyers, plantiffs, defendants or people suffering repercussions of the legal system. The difference from his other novels, he adds depth to the characters. The plots of the stories in Ford County are all character driven and Grisham adds dramatic tension and emotion of the characters. and the situations which might at first seem to have simple answers don’t seem as easy as when you started the story.
All of the stories in Ford County have their own attraction. Blood Drive gives an altogether different meaning to the phrase and shows how the best of intentions can go all to hell in a short amount of time. Fish Files posits the theory that for lawyers, divorce is the way to realize all your dreams of success. Fetching Raymond and Michael’s Room are two stories that the characters are really well drawn and create their own tension. And they’ll really turn your head around and leave you thinking because the situations at the end aren’t as easily resolvable as at the beginning and leave you wondering who is right and who is wrong in the situations the characters find themselves in.
Am I a literary snob? Yes. So is Grisham. He’s cited William Faulkner as an influence for years, but his novels haven’t lived up to the literary standard he wants to emulate. In the last story, Funny Boy, Grisham challenges those ideas and seemingly takes on Thomas Wolfe’s dictum “that you can’t go home again.” Funny Boy shows that bigotry hasn’t disappeared but has evolved. It’s not the bigotry of race but of ignorance, and the main characters discover they have some things in common they might not have otherwise realized. Grisham invokes Faulkner in the story, and the understanding and empathy the characters discover in each other are worthy of the Faulkner allusion.
I don’t think John Grisham’s fans will be disappointed with these short stories, although, the stories are slower paced than his novels. And people who heretofore avoided Grisham will be pleasantly surprised at the discovery of the writer within John Grisham.
3. SUMIT RK reviews for Ford County
John Grisham has been exploring genres other than legal thrillers and Ford County is on similar lines. A collection of short stories featuring a memorable cast of characters living in Ford County. Each story takes place within Ford County, some in Clanton & in all,a wonderful compilation of stories ; all enlightening, interesting, amusing and sad.
The book contains 7 short stories: Blood Drive, Fetching Raymond, Fish Files, Casino, Michael’s Room, Quiet Haven & Funny Boy.
From a bizarre road trip with lots of dark humour to an emotional story about a family visiting a death row convict. From amusing con jobs to a touching story of a terminally ill young man abandoned by his family, this book explores extraordinary stories of ordinary people, all brought to life by brilliant storytelling. It makes you laugh, it makes you sad & keeps you entertained throughout. This one is a true gem.
4. MR.A reviews for Ford County
I was not sure quite what to expect from this collection. I guess I expected the usual fare of legal stories, but I got something quite different. I will run through the stories and see if I can persuade you to read them.
“Blood Drive” is about a construction site accident, and a group of men offering to drive to the Big City to donate blood for a friend. The attractions of the two hour journey and the city itself rather take over from the mercy mission.
“Fetching Raymond” looks at a family travelling to the execution of a son and brother on death row. A reprieve may or may not be in the air, but the main focus is on the petty squabbles between the brothers and how they continue right up to the last moment.
“Fish Files” is, in fact, a legal story. A small town lawyer unexpectedly finds that he has a fortune in claims on his hands, having years ago abandoned the cases.
“Casino” tells the story of an Indian tribe finding they might benefit from building a casino on their land. The local laws have a loophole allowing this to happen even where building one anywhere else would be banned. But will they be swindled?
“Michael’s Room” is a harrowing tale of a boy who was the victim of a medical mistake years ago that left him in a vegetable state, and of a lawyer who successfully defended a doctor against a malpractice suit. Will this ghost from the past come back to haunt him?
“Quiet Haven” finds an employee at a retirement home taking rather too much interest in past goings-on there.
“Funny Boy” sees a past resident of a small town returning there with Aids, and looks at the fears and prejudices of the local community as he slowly dies. He is white, but his well off family place him in a black neighbourhood to spend his last days with a stranger, an elderly black, church-going lady.
So, a heavy bunch of stories, but well worth it. There is much humanity in this little collection, as well as brutality and dishonesty. They are all unmistakably Grisham.
5. CONNIE COX reviews for Ford County
As most reader’s know, Grisham is the master of the legal thriller. Surprise, surprise! He is also a very talented storyteller! What a delight this collection of short stories was.
He takes us to Ford County, Mississippi where we are introduced to quite a collection of characters. Some rather dull and normal, others quirky and pretty extreme all of them with an odd story to share. His words flow and paint the picture of these folks as they struggle with whatever curveball life has thrown them. The stories are sad, humorous and rather bizarre all rolled into one. Did I like many of the characters? No, but I was fascinated by their stories. He hits upon some difficult subjects…..greed, cheating, deceit, death and points a finger at many things wrong in todays society.
This put Grisham in a whole different light for me. One that I found very flattering. 4.5 stars.
6. MARWAN reviews for Ford County
I haven’t read any other John Grisham novels, but I’ve heard enough about him to make me intrigued. So when I’ve stumbled upon this book, I’ve decided to give it a shot, and I am really glad I did. It was fabulous. I didn’t know short stories could be entertaining and profound. John Grisham really knows how to tell a story.
The book is a collection of 7 short stories: Blood Drive, Fetching Raymond, Fish Files, Casino, Michael’s Room, Quiet Haven and Funny Boy. Each one brings out a certain emotion: amusement, sadness, suspense, intrigue, and anger. I can’t decide which one is my favorite since I liked all of them.
In conclusion, this was an enjoyable book.
7. TEDDIE S reviews for Ford County
This is a book of seven unrelated short stories; unrelated other than the characters are all residents of the same rural county in Mississippi. Some stories are better than others, but I dare say all will elicit emotions of one kind or another. And some will stay with you long after the story ends.
The first story, “Blood Drive”, is rather humorous. It’s about three local yokels who hop in a pickup truck and head for the big city, ostensibly to help save the life of a buddy. What ensues is a tale that includes beer, strip clubs, jail, and worse.
Several of the stories involve unsavory characters. “Fetching Raymond” is about Mrs. McBride and her three sons who all have long rap sheets. (Make that past tense for the son named Raymond) . “Fish Files” is about a small time bankruptcy and divorce attorney who answers the phone when his secretary is away from her desk. Quote: “He had never thought about the possibility that one call could so quickly and dramatically lead to his own divorce and bankruptcy.” Sometimes crime pays. Sometimes it doesn’t.
“Michael’s Room” is sure to elicit outrage while at the same time bring the reader to tears. It’s about an attorney who makes a living defending incompetent doctors and their insurance companies against lawsuits. One evening, a quick trip to the grocery store to pick up a frozen pizza for dinner, leads to an encounter the attorney will never forget. He is forced to confront the reality of what he does for a living and how a victory for his client can mean devastation for the human beings on the losing side. One would have to have a stone heart to not be affected by this story.
My favorite story, “Funny Boy” is the last story in the book. It’s about a gay man with AIDS named Adrian Keane who comes home to Ford County to die. His family, prominent citizens of the county, fulfill their obligation to take care of Adrian by moving him in with Miss Emporia, one of their tenants living in a rental property they own on the bad side of town. Quote: The thought of a Keane living across the railroad tracks in the black section was hard to accept, but then it seemed logical that anyone with AIDS should not be allowed on the white side of town.” This story deals with racism, homophobia, ignorance and fear, and mortality. The relationship between Adrian and Miss Emporia is very poignant, and the image of them sitting on the front porch will linger long after the story ends.
I think the last two stories (“Michael’s Room” and “Funny Guy”) are worthy of 5 stars, but I give “Ford County” as a whole a strong 4 stars.
8. LORNA reviews for Ford County
In the interest of reading more books that have been in my library for a time, I finally picked up John Grisham’s debut collection of short stories, Ford County. These stories take place in Ford County, primarily in Clanton, Mississippi. This was the setting of his book A Time to Kill, but Jake Briggance does not appear in these pages. As with most collections of short stories, some stand out as favorites.
Some of the most poignant included Fetching Raymond, the story of wheelchair-bound Inez Graney and her sons Leon and Butch embarking on a road trip through the Mississippi Delta in a borrowed van. They were driving to Parchman Penitentiary to visit her youngest son, Raymond, serving on Death Row with the appeals running out and his execution imminent.
Another favorite was Funny Boy, a gay man returning to Clanton to spend his remaining days before he succumbs to AIDS. Adrian long shunned by his wealthy and prominent family, lives out his final days in the black section of town in the care of elderly black woman, Emporia. The relationship that develops between them is heartening as they sit on the front porch sipping sweet tea with endearing conversations. One of Adrian’s goals is to read all of William Faulkner’s books to begin to come to terms with the South.
Other engaging stories in this collection included the tale of a down-and-out attorney, hard-drinking Mack Stafford. His wife wants a divorce. All seems to be at a loss when Mack is presented with a way out. What transpires is a great story that will leave you cheering. Another concerns Gilbert posing as a low-paid assistant hired by the local nursing home. It quickly becomes apparent that Gilbert has an agenda as he quietly and skillfully conducts his background check and research on Quiet Haven Retirement Home and its residents. Gilbert’s purpose soon becomes apparent, a great story. At its heart, John Grisham is a master storyteller in this debut collection of short stories displaying the range of his talents.
9. MICHAEL reviews for Ford County
John Grisham heads back to his literary roots of Ford County. For those of you who don’t recall (or didn’t read the dust jacket), Ford County is the setting for his first (and possibly best) book “A Time to Kill.”
After a disappointing legal thriller for his last new book, it’s nice to see Grisham get back to the business of storytelling again with this collection of short stories.
Grisham pushes his boundaries as a writer, offering up stories that offer humor, pathos and character building. The requisite lawyer gone wrong story is in the book, but Grisham makes the caper-nature of what the guy is doing compelling and interesting enough and the story doesn’t overstay its welcome.
The best stories are those that bookend the collection. The first about three guys heading to Memphis to donate blood to a local but who end up getting side tracked by a run in with the law, beer and then a Memphis strip club is wonderfully done and, at times, hysterical funny. The final story about a man with AIDs returning to town for his final days will put a lump in your throat and stay with you long past the final page being turned.
If you’ve given up on Grisham, you might want to come back for this one.
10. N.JR reviews for Ford County
If you’re a rabid Grisham fan, you might want to think twice before picking up this book.It’s a far cry from many of his other books. A legal thriller it is not. Despite his reputation as a “pop” author, this man knows how to tell a tale.
As a writer myself I understand the challenges of composing a short story. Here is a collection of them, all set in rural Mississippi, and everyone’s a gem. I’ve marked it for re-reading, that’s how much I enjoyed them.
There’s nothing profound here, just the simple schemes of simple folks, that will either amuse the hell out of you or, in the case of one or two, bring a tear to your eye.
III. Ford County Quotes
The best book quotes from Ford County by John Grisham
“It’s as if we spend our entire lives avoiding Jell-O but it is always there at the end, waiting.”
“But [Stanley Wade] instead removed his glasses and wiped his eyes. They were moist not from fear but from the harsh reality of being confronted by one of his victims. How many others were out there? Why had he chosen to spend his career screwing these people?
~from “Michael’s Room”~”
Excerpted from Ford County by John Grisham
Chapter 1 – Blood Drive
By the time the news of Bailey’s accident spread through the rural settlement of Box Hill, there were several versions of how it happened. Someone from the construction company called his mother and reported that he had been injured when some scaffoldingcollapsed at a building site in downtown Memphis, that he was undergoing surgery, was stable, and was expected to survive. His mother, an invalid who weighed over four hundred pounds and was known to be excitable, missed some of the facts as she began to screamand carry on. She called friends and neighbors, and with each replaying of the tragic news various details were altered and enlarged. She neglected to write down the phone number of the person from the company, so there was no one to call to verify or discountthe rumors that were multiplying by the minute.
One of Bailey’s co-workers, another boy from Ford County, called his girlfriend in Box Hill and gave an account that varied somewhat: Bailey had been run over by a bulldozer, which was next to the scaffolding, and he was practically dead. The surgeonswere working on him, but things were grim.
Then an administrator from a hospital in Memphis called Bailey’s home, asked to speak to his mother, and was told that she was laid up in bed, too upset to talk, and unable to come to the phone. The neighbor who answered the phone pumped the administratorfor details, but didn’t get much. Something collapsed at a construction site, maybe a ditch in which the young man was working, or some such variation. Yes, he was in surgery, and the hospital needed basic information.
Bailey’s mother’s small brick home quickly became a busy place. Visitors had begun arriving by late afternoon: friends, relatives, and several pastors from the tiny churches scattered around Box Hill. The women gathered in the kitchen and den and gossipednonstop while the phone rang constantly. The men huddled outside and smoked cigarettes. Casseroles and cakes began to appear.
With little to do, and with scant information about Bailey’s injuries, the visitors seized upon every tiny fact, analyzed it, dissected it, then passed it along to the women inside, or to the men outside. A leg was mangled and would probably be amputated.There was a severe brain injury. Bailey fell four floors with the scaffolding, or maybe it was eight. His chest was crushed. A few of the facts and theories were simply created on the spot. There were even a few somber inquiries about funeral arrangements.
Bailey was nineteen years old and in his short life had never had so many friends and admirers. The entire community loved him more and more as the hours passed. He was a good boy, raised right, a much better person than his sorry father, a man no onehad seen in years.
Bailey’s ex-girlfriend showed up and was soon the center of attention. She was distraught and overwhelmed and cried easily, especially when talking about her beloved Bailey. However, when word filtered back to the bedroom and his mother heard the littleslut was in the house, she ordered her out. The little slut then hung around with the men outside, flirting and smoking. She finally left, vowing to drive to Memphis right then and see her Bailey.
A neighbor’s cousin lived in Memphis, and this cousin reluctantly agreed to go to the hospital and monitor things. His first call brought the news that the young man was indeed undergoing surgery for multiple injuries, but he appeared to be stable. He’dlost a lot of blood. In the second call, the cousin straightened out a few of the facts. He’d talked to the job foreman, and Bailey had been injured when a bulldozer struck the scaffolding, collapsing it and sending the poor boy crashing down fifteen feet intoa pit of some sort. They were putting the brick on a six-story office building in Memphis, and Bailey was working as a mason’s helper. The hospital would not allow visitors for at least twenty-four hours, but blood donations were needed.
A mason’s helper? His mother had bragged that Bailey had been promoted rapidly through the company and was now an assistant job foreman. However, in the spirit of the moment, no one questioned her about this discrepancy.
After dark, a man in a suit appeared and explained that he was an investigator of some sort. He was passed along to an uncle, Bailey’s mother’s youngest brother, and in a private conversation in the backyard he handed over a business card for a lawyerin Clanton. “Best lawyer in the county,” he said. “And we’re already working on the case.”
The uncle was impressed and promised to shun other lawyers–“just a bunch of ambulance chasers”–and to curse any insurance adjuster who came slithering onto the scene.
Eventually, there was talk of a trip to Memphis. Though it was only two hours away by car, it may as well have been five. In Box Hill, going to the big city meant driving an hour to Tupelo, population fifty thousand. Memphis was in another state, anotherworld, and, besides, crime was rampant. The murder rate was right up there with Detroit. They watched the carnage every night on Channel 5.
Bailey’s mother was growing more incapacitated by the moment and was clearly unable to travel, let alone give blood. His sister lived in Clanton, but she could not leave her children. Tomorrow was Friday, a workday, and there was a general belief thatsuch a trip to Memphis and back, plus the blood thing, would take many hours and, well, who knew when the donors might get back to Ford County.
Another call from Memphis brought the news that the boy was out of surgery, clinging to life, and still in desperate need of blood. By the time this reached the group of men loitering out in the driveway, it sounded as though poor Bailey might die anyminute unless his loved ones hustled to the hospital and opened their veins.
A hero quickly emerged. His name was Wayne Agnor, an alleged close friend of Bailey’s who since birth had been known as Aggie. He ran a body shop with his father, and thus had hours flexible enough for a quick trip to Memphis. He also had his own pickup,a late-model Dodge, and he claimed to know Memphis like the back of his hand.
“I can leave right now,” Aggie said proudly to the group, and word spread through the house that a trip was materializing. One of the women calmed things down when she explained that several volunteers were needed since the hospital would extract onlyone pint from each donor. “You can’t give a gallon,” she explained. Very few had actually given blood, and the thought of needles and tubes frightened many. The house and front yard became very quiet. Concerned neighbors who had been so close to Bailey justmoments earlier began looking for distance.
“I’ll go too,” another young man finally said, and he was immediately congratulated. His name was Calvin Marr, and his hours were also flexible but for different reasons–Calvin had been laid off from the shoe factory in Clanton and was drawing unemployment.He was terrified of needles but intrigued by the romance of seeing Memphis for the first time. He would be honored to be a donor.
The idea of a fellow traveler emboldened Aggie, and he laid down the challenge. “Anybody else?”
There was mumbling in general while most of the men studied their boots.
“We’ll take my truck and I’ll pay for the gas,” Aggie continued.
“When are we leavin’?” Calvin asked.
“Right now,” said Aggie. “It’s an emergency.”
“That’s right,” someone added.
“I’ll send Roger,” an older gentleman offered, and this was met with silent skepticism. Roger, who wasn’t present, had no job to worry about because he couldn’t keep one. He had dropped out of high school and had a colorful history with alcohol and drugs.Needles certainly wouldn’t intimidate him.
Though the men in general had little knowledge of transfusions, the very idea of a victim injured so gravely as to need blood from Roger was hard to imagine. “You tryin’ to kill Bailey?” one of them mumbled.
“Roger’ll do it,” his father said with pride.
The great question was, Is he sober? Roger’s battles with his demons were widely known and discussed in Box Hill. Most folks generally knew when he was off the hooch, or on it.
“He’s in good shape these days,” his father went on, though with a noticeable lack of conviction. But the urgency of the moment overcame all doubt, and Aggie finally said, “Where is he?”
“He’s home.”
Of course he was home. Roger never left home. Where would he go?
Within minutes, the ladies had put together a large box of sandwiches and other food. Aggie and Calvin were hugged and congratulated and fussed over as if they were marching off to defend the country. When they sped away, off to save Bailey’s life, everyonewas in the driveway, waving farewell to the brave young men.
Roger was waiting by the mailbox, and when the pickup came to a stop, he leaned through the passenger’s window and said, “We gonna spend the night?”
“Ain’t plannin’ on it,” Aggie said.
“Good.”
After a discussion, it was finally agreed that Roger, who was of a slender build, would sit in the middle between Aggie and Calvin, who were much larger and thicker. They placed the box of food in his lap, and before they were a mile outside of Box Hill,Roger was unwrapping a turkey sandwich. At twenty-seven, he was the oldest of the three, but the years had not been kind. He’d been through two divorces and numerous unsuccessful efforts to rid him of his addictions. He was wiry and hyper, and as soon as hefinished the first sandwich, he unwrapped the second. Aggie, at 250 pounds, and Calvin, at 270, both declined. They had been eating casseroles for the past two hours at Bailey’s mother’s.
The first conversation was about Bailey, a man Roger hardly knew, but both Aggie and Calvin had attended school with him. Since all three men were single, the chatter soon drifted away from their fallen neighbor and found its way to the subject of sex.Aggie had a girlfriend and claimed to be enjoying the full benefits of a good romance. Roger had slept with everything and was always on the prowl. Calvin, the shy one, was still a virgin at twenty-one, though he would never admit this. He lied about a coupleof conquests, without much detail, and this kept him in the game. All three were exaggerating and all three knew it.
When they crossed into Polk County, Roger said, “Pull in up there at the Blue Dot. I need to take a leak.” Aggie stopped at the pumps in front of a country store, and Roger ran inside.
“You reckon he’s drinkin’?” Calvin asked as they waited.
“His daddy said he’s not.”
“His daddy lies, too.”
Sure enough, Roger emerged minutes later with a six-pack of beer.
“Oh boy,” Aggie said.
When they were situated again, the truck left the gravel lot and sped away.
Roger pulled off a can and offered it to Aggie, who declined. “No, thanks, I’m drivin’.”
“You can’t drink and drive?”
“Not tonight.”
“How ’bout you?” he said, offering the can to Calvin.
“No, thanks.”
“You boys in rehab or something?” Roger asked as he popped the top, then gulped down half the can.
“I thought you’d quit,” Aggie said.
“I did. I quit all the time. Quittin’s easy.”
Calvin was now holding the box of food and out of boredom began munching on a large oatmeal cookie. Roger drained the first can, then handed it to Calvin and said, “Toss it, would you?”
Calvin lowered the window and flung the empty can back into the bed of the pickup. By the time he raised the window, Roger was popping the top of another. Aggie and Calvin exchanged nervous glances.
“Can you give blood if you’ve been drinkin’?” Aggie asked.
“Of course you can,” Roger said. “I’ve done it many times. You boys ever give blood?”
Aggie and Calvin reluctantly admitted that they had never done so, and this inspired Roger to describe the procedure. “They make you lay down because most people pass out. The damned needle is so big that a lot of folks faint when they see it. They tiea thick rubber cord around your bicep, then the nurse’ll poke around your upper forearm looking for a big, fat blood vein. It’s best to look the other way. Nine times out of ten, she’ll jab the needle in and miss the vein–hurts like hell–then she’ll apologizewhile you cuss her under your breath. If you’re lucky, she’ll hit the vein the second time, and when she does, the blood spurts out through a tube that runs to a little bag. Everything’s clear, so you can see your own blood. It’s amazing how dark it is, sortof a dark maroon color. It takes forever for a pint to flow out, and the whole time she’s holdin’ the needle in your vein.” He chugged the beer, satisfied with his terrifying account of what awaited them. They rode in silence for several miles.
When the second can was empty, Calvin tossed it back, and Roger popped the third top. “Beer actually helps,” Roger said as he smacked his lips. “It thins the blood and makes the whole thing go faster.”
It was becoming apparent that he planned to demolish the entire six-pack as quickly as possible. Aggie was thinking that it might be wise to dilute some of the alcohol. He’d heard stories of Roger’s horrific binges.
“I’ll take one of those,” he said, and Roger quickly handed him a beer.
“Me too, I guess,” Calvin said.
“Now we’re talkin’,” Roger said. “I never like to drink alone. That’s the first sign of a true drunk.”
Aggie and Calvin drank responsibly while Roger continued to gulp away. When the first six-pack was gone, he announced, with perfect timing, “I need to take a leak. Pull over up there at Cully’s Barbecue.” They were on the edge of the small town of NewGrove, and Aggie was beginning to wonder how long the trip might take. Roger disappeared behind the store and relieved himself, then ducked inside and bought two more six-packs. When New Grove was behind them, they popped the tops and sped along a dark, narrow highway.
….
Note: Above are quotes and excerpts from the book “Ford County by John Grisham”. If you find it interesting and useful, don’t forget to buy paper books to support the Author and Publisher!
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