Story of our two protagonists, our narrator and his friend Wayne. From all accounts, both are fairly ne’er-do-well young men. Unable, in a city of over 7million people, to either find work or get a date. Using some onion-skin thin excuse of a possible job out-of-town, our two young men head on a road-trip down south one July 4th weekend enjoying the sunshine and loud music, seemingly with little concern for their future job interview or long-term accommodations. \n\nOf course, questions abound. If Wayne’s uncle has connections to a well-paying union job, why is it only available over 800 miles away? Isn’t there something closer to home? While road construction certainly does take place in the summer. The reality is most road construction, particularly in the deep-south, would have started in the early spring. That two well-paying union jobs are suddenly available to these out of towners seems specious, at best. But, even if this opportunity exists, why do these young men need to travel over a summer holiday? July 4th is often not actually on a weekend. It does seem that the boys undertake this trip as much as an adventure as an opportunity for financial security. And, of course, we have to speak to their actual point of origin. Our narrator likes to say they are “from New York City” and yet, he also informs us that they “drove 800 miles without seeing a cop”. NYC is about 600 miles from Darlington, SC. In all likelihood, an 800 mile drive would put their point of origin much closer to Albany or Schenectady, NY than actually New York City or its outlying metropolitan area.\n\nSo with all that as pre-amble, our heroes finally do arrive at the aforementioned City of Darlington, country seat of Darlington County, South Carolina. No sooner do they arrive that these young me do as young men throughout history are apt to do; their minds turn to young ladies and having a good time (not their financial future). And yet again, our two companions seem totally unprepared for the reality of the situations. Projecting themselves as worldly Bon Vivants and big-spenders from the big city, they sadly have but a couple hundred dollars to their name (hardly enough for the good life – and little more than a night of mild entertainment).\n\nWhile not completely clear, our two protagonists may be trying their hand at “picking-up” local ladies at a local watering hole – or may, in fact, have come across women who are more easily accommodating. Whether it is the alcohol or the young women or perhaps the acquaintances of these same young women (in either a social or managerial sense), it does appear trouble soon ensues for our heroes. \n\nOur narrator’s good friend Wayne soon disappears from the frame. It’s initially unclear if young Wayne has ended up in some unsavory company, possibly been involved in some general public disobedience or perhaps even been incarcerated (perhaps even something worse has befallen Wayne) – for the moment, we as listeners are left to imagine for a bit. \n\nJump ahead about 1 week, our narrator is speaking to a young woman ‘at a window’. We are unsure if this is the pay-window for the job that led to all this excitement in the first place or, perhaps, it’s the bail window in the Jail as our narrator attempts to retrieve his friend. What is clear, is money is short and the earlier promises of work have fallen far short. Certainly Wayne, and possibly our narrator as well, have not actually found these high-paying union jobs – and no work, means no pay.\n\nAs we reach the denouement of our story, our narrator is further drawn to this young lady behind the window. Perhaps it’s just the dalliances of youth at first, but there does seem to be a further connection that quickly grows. So, our hero, now beginning to understand his misguided ways, finds redemption. Perhaps that redemption is in the form of love, perhaps in the words of the Lord, perhaps both.\n\nLeaving the errors of his past behind he and his young love leave the wickedness behind to a brighter more optimistic more settled future – getting one last reminder of the horrors he just barely missed as he catches a glimpse of his former friend (or more likely simply a vision of the future avoided).
Story of our two protagonists, our narrator and his friend Wayne. From all accounts, both are fairly ne’er-do-well young men. Unable, in a city of over 7million people, to either find work or get a date. Using some onion-skin thin excuse of a possible job out-of-town, our two young men head on a road-trip down south one July 4th weekend enjoying the sunshine and loud music, seemingly with little concern for their future job interview or long-term accommodations. \n\nOf course, questions abound. If Wayne’s uncle has connections to a well-paying union job, why is it only available over 800 miles away? Isn’t there something closer to home? While road construction certainly does take place in the summer. The reality is most road construction, particularly in the deep-south, would have started in the early spring. That two well-paying union jobs are suddenly available to these out of towners seems specious, at best. But, even if this opportunity exists, why do these young men need to travel over a summer holiday? July 4th is often not actually on a weekend. It does seem that the boys undertake this trip as much as an adventure as an opportunity for financial security. And, of course, we have to speak to their actual point of origin. Our narrator likes to say they are “from New York City” and yet, he also informs us that they “drove 800 miles without seeing a cop”. NYC is about 600 miles from Darlington, SC. In all likelihood, an 800 mile drive would put their point of origin much closer to Albany or Schenectady, NY than actually New York City or its outlying metropolitan area.\n\nSo with all that as pre-amble, our heroes finally do arrive at the aforementioned City of Darlington, country seat of Darlington County, South Carolina. No sooner do they arrive that these young me do as young men throughout history are apt to do; their minds turn to young ladies and having a good time (not their financial future). And yet again, our two companions seem totally unprepared for the reality of the situations. Projecting themselves as worldly Bon Vivants and big-spenders from the big city, they sadly have but a couple hundred dollars to their name (hardly enough for the good life – and little more than a night of mild entertainment).\n\nWhile not completely clear, our two protagonists may be trying their hand at “picking-up” local ladies at a local watering hole – or may, in fact, have come across women who are more easily accommodating. Whether it is the alcohol or the young women or perhaps the acquaintances of these same young women (in either a social or managerial sense), it does appear trouble soon ensues for our heroes. \n\nOur narrator’s good friend Wayne soon disappears from the frame. It’s initially unclear if young Wayne has ended up in some unsavory company, possibly been involved in some general public disobedience or perhaps even been incarcerated (perhaps even something worse has befallen Wayne) – for the moment, we as listeners are left to imagine for a bit. \n\nJump ahead about 1 week, our narrator is speaking to a young woman ‘at a window’. We are unsure if this is the pay-window for the job that led to all this excitement in the first place or, perhaps, it’s the bail window in the Jail as our narrator attempts to retrieve his friend. What is clear, is money is short and the earlier promises of work have fallen far short. Certainly Wayne, and possibly our narrator as well, have not actually found these high-paying union jobs – and no work, means no pay.\n\nAs we reach the denouement of our story, our narrator is further drawn to this young lady behind the window. Perhaps it’s just the dalliances of youth at first, but there does seem to be a further connection that quickly grows. So, our hero, now beginning to understand his misguided ways, finds redemption. Perhaps that redemption is in the form of love, perhaps in the words of the Lord, perhaps both.\n\nLeaving the errors of his past behind he and his young love leave the wickedness behind to a brighter more optimistic more settled future – getting one last reminder of the horrors he just barely missed as he catches a glimpse of his former friend (or more likely simply a vision of the future avoided).