Chapter 14

For no particular reason, Archie thought maybe enough time had passed. His supplies were running short, and the long empty beach no longer held his interest. He began planning a secret trip back to his hometown to catch his little sister’s graduation.

Late in May, moving at night only, he worked north using the smallest possible roads. He crouched out of sight whenever headlights approached. From time to time, a warm rainstorm and a bar of soap would keep down his body odor. His ragged clothing was another matter indeed. It hung on him limply, he didn’t know it but his weight was down to only 100 pounds. There were rips and tears everywhere.

Like most Texas high schools, the football stadium was large and comfortable. Jessie’s tutoring work provided for a beautiful dress under her robes, and she was impatient for the ceremony to begin at 10:00 (before the heat of midday). But Cathie had other plans. A big growth spurt meant she had reached 5 foot 10 inches, and those robes didn’t fit her at all. So she was just going to watch while Jessie and her peers crossed the temporary stage.

Some time later, after the speeches, Jessie Dawes had returned to her seat clutching her diploma folder. As the class continued through the alphabet, something caught Cathie’s eye. Excusing herself, she left the stands and circled behind the stage. She approached the disheveled man on his left side, where a rag covered his eye.

“Archie?” He was startled and jerked away, staggering on his short leg.

“Oh no, dude, I’ve got you.” She had his sleeve, but it began to rip. Then Carla Franklin bracketed Archie, and he collapsed to the turf. With rows of caps blocking her vision, Jessie had missed the confrontation. But their parents quickly gathered their things and joined them.

A storm of emotions seized Bettie: joy at being reunited, shock at his frail condition, agitation to get him help. Mrs. Franklin pulled out her phone and dialed her nephew. “Franklin here.” “Davis, get your skinny butt down here behind the graduation stage. Now! I found Archie Dawes.”

On stage, the last graduate Paula Z

oris passed across. Everyone stood and flipped their tassels, and Cathie left to find Jessie in the crowd. Davis called Luis: “Etch, get our unit to the football field behind the stage, we’re going to the hospital.” Bruce White called Barbara Winslow: “Doc! We got Archie Dawes, can you meet us at emergency?” “Right away.”

A week later, Archie was still hospitalized. After his first day, he had tried to leave. His mother was yelling. “Stop! God damn it, boy, you are wrong about everything. Sit down and shut up.”

“First, if you had stayed with us Belkin would have paid your medical bills. Rosie already got us settlements for the girls. Second, we can fix your eye.”