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    11 views11 pages

    ParkersBack FO LastClass

    Uploaded by

    julian hoyos

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 11
    and ashamed of himself, ann The howe they rented sat lone sxe cia fora dogl tll pecan wee nkeent overlooking a highway, At intervals a car eaten etal cena eee eve ailing up sin She did not smoke or dip, drink whiskey, ‘it was the more remarkable she had married ‘hima, Sometimes he Po eae cen account for her one way or ancther it was himself he could ot undetond a Sk ed herbed ein nd ony Can wk ors min. I da hare tobe wceans ee Auth jor mr ung Fe ee aul he had been cern she as jelous of the woman he worked Pak at / 5 _ woul have been pleat bat more Hey she wat ‘eM sin that wold re ihe ade wom wa ig wih er, He ad tad er tht he worn wa eye ° “4 we fast hes ely Sayyed dw 4 see amen in anything ep geting a much kan wn she eld Not that an ld wan et een go bin ein a young man, parca I he wa a atacte it lee was, bu the ld wort lok at im Ge ne wy Patel at he old wactor—a if she ha tw put up wiht hn eer al she had. The wacor had broken doa the med ay Sher wan on i and be bad at him atone wo ag bh tpi oof the side of er mouth othe nigges, "Ereying be “c,h beaks” She alo ake hit wea hi hie whee Sl; Parker hal removed even thegh he day wa a ky Ie pu it back on seca “Tis ly woman Parker marscd wa ii wie He a Bd caer women but he had planed neve © ge bins Sel p Fpl He had fe seen Ber oe ring we Ki sk down on the highway. He had manage op of be di Sealy swepe yard on which at ecing worn bs He sian pede nd ofthe we nd ign we ake had on ne seth dn we iE ty watching Bi Ar hale ts tint his nec began to ple He a Bc Fad and perch of he hoe A wera bel 8 teary beyond 2 clump of hanes o Nim out the window. Sidenly Parker began 089 . above ar fhe ad med in DE. pal dnd eld is hand dave w Bis ce ghey én! et “feu Chi el Js 628 AI Il he went on Hing oH — as loud as he could vy awe se Wah rng a ere bal Oo Fe ote ¥ face and he fll backward 7 im sil. ye dt tle th !” #066 2 a ro Parke’ vision 928 512 / The Complete Stories of Flannery O'Connor had been attacked by some creature from above, giant haw seg! wig a hoary wespen As hn ghe deed fe ‘hima tall raw-boned girl with a broom, ‘at my hand” he sid *THURT my hand” He was wo incensed that he forgot that he hadn't hur his hand, "My han be broke” he rol sug hws ms a oe ‘gm se i” the gel demands, o asker stuck out his hand and she came closer and looked a it ‘There wat no mark on the palm and she tok the hand and turned it over. Her own hand was dy and hot and rough and Parker fee imset jolted back woe by her touch. He locked more eloly er dn wat noting to do with this one be though it’s sharp eyes peered atthe back of the stubby rel Sand‘ hd Thaw eaonel inetd ne ae at ‘gle perched on a cannon, Parker's sleve was roled tothe elbow Above the eagle a serpent was coiled about a shield and in the spaces between the cagle and the serpent there were hearts sme with arrows through them. Above the serpent there was a spread hand of cards. Every space on the skin of Parker's am, farm wrist to elbow, was covered in some loud desig. The giel gazed at this with an almost stupefied smile of shock, at if she had accidentally ‘grasped a poisonous snakes she dropped the hand. "T got most of my other ones in foreign parts” Parker ssid “These here T mostly got inthe United State. I got my fist one when Iwas only fifteen year old” “Don't tell me,” the giel said, “I don’ ke it. Tin’ got any tse for it” “You aught tose the ones you cant se,” Parker said and winked. ‘Two ciccles of red appeared like apples on the girl's checks and softened her appearance. Parker was intrigued. He did not for a note think that she dda’ ike the tattoos. He bad never yet met ‘2 woman who was not atacted to them. Parker was fourteen when he saw a man in afi, etooed frm head to foot. Exept for his lins which were girded with a panther hide, the man’s skin was paternd ia what seemed from Parker isance—he was near the back of the tea, standing on a bench—= Single intricate design of beiliat color. The man, who was stall ieee... 2 Parker's Back / 513 1 on the platform, flexing his muscles so Mr bens and dowers on A skin ofits own, Parker was filled with ‘are when the flag pases. He was wp as some people ied oP habitually hung open. He was heavy ad asa loaf of bread. When the show was ove, he 2 ee ck ing whee Ge ed al et 8 oo re felt the least motion of wonder in Pe bl ee ea i ot ce nd Fn oth crit abou theft hate cite a ee ec but pcar une te it ars aras if lind boy had been rured so gently in aie Fon tthe didnot know his destinaon bad een change “fad reo some time afer—te cl peed ct Tews dane by a Toal ats Ie hurt very itl, jst enough pene to Parker tobe wor ding. This wat per Solr bere he had hough cat only what id ok werk drng, The next year he quit school because e wat ss TEEPE Nese ke uae sl for a whl thn Be ae vie nh “aap wre for ix mon in Be TH SY seme woke all wat to pay for mor tates Tis yuld su hit Sein sda std pr i bt wa Jean and nobody had € tattoos were ata 13 never liked hi wowed abo of am em se 0 Tan ooo excep er are ot 2 Hea fing, However, her name was BEY ‘ow ic was his mother. He found out Cie Stet hind of ils he Hked but ho ba C oe He began oink bee and get ih ea twat ws becoming of him One igh be ent ET salty no ig hin whet ey et ' saw the big lighted church, he jerked ot Tent day hed abut age and ed Pee we Inge for the gh sls gO sing low on his forehead, made Bit {66 BY SON ayy, ovghfal and almost intense. After a month o Oy ing the rath ceased to hang ops. His Exes Mele ‘utes of a man. He stayed in the navy ve 3 4514 / The Complete Storie of Flannery O'Consor natural part ofthe gray mechanical ship, except for bi were the same pale slatecolor at the ocean and rmense spaces around him as if they were a micro ‘eos Inport Parker wandered abo omting the rae lsc he was in to Bingham, Alabama, Everywhere he att he picked up moce tattoo, He had stopped having lifeless ones ike tiles. He had a tiger and a panther on each sh i ees, which flected he im, osm of the mye anchors and cowed ude, cobra eile shout a torch on his chet hawks on his thighs, Elabeth That Philip over where his somach and liver were re spectively, He did i was colorful on because that seemed place for them. Parker would be steed with each tatoo about 4 month, then something about it that had ated hen would wear of. Whenever a desentsized mieor won avalale ot would get in front oft and sty his overall look. "The eles wg ‘ot of one intricate arabesque of colors but of smelhing hapharnd tnd bob. A hagedasfcton would ame on Kg a would go off and find another ttecst and have anaher space fled wp. ‘The font of Parker was almost completely covered bur there were no tatoos on his back. He had no deste for one any. where he could not realy sei innelf, As the space onthe fat of him for tatoos decreased, his dastsfaction grew and beame sence After one of his furloughs, he dida’t go back to the navy but remained away without offeil leave, drunk, in a rooming hove ina ciy he did not know. His disatsfaction, from being chronic and latent, had suddenly become acute and raged in him. I was 3 if the panther and the lion and the serpents and he eagles and the hawks had penetrated his skin and lived inside him in a ragiog warfare. The navy caught up with him, put him in the beg fr nine months and then gave him a dishonorable dicharge. After that Pasker decided that countey ai was the only ind ‘breathe. He rented the shack on the embankment and bought the ld truck and took various jobs which he kept as long ai suite him. At the time he met his future wife, he was buying apples by the bushel and selling them for the same price by the pound #9 iuolted homesteaderson back country roads. not care much what the subject was so long as his abdomen he had afew obscenities but only the proper occas Pater Bac 55 apa hac there,” the woman sid pointing to his ar, “s shan what a fool Indian would do, i's heapof vai.” She se od wed nel the el doce wha he ks ox Par aed sia vr chan another anyway" he idling cl be thought sec t-te We. Bo ase en wad ern you He ba” ee nike ids "bt he hie nat oad we hat chicken?” Parker almost yelled. neorrafeners Sean a Dar id “Whe fk wel we hr sovharags daca ten teal” “ “etch ap ef eel i nd dy aoc owe arin he PAN fs mar fe mines king pe Fanperaepen = eee wih «bel lap Hem cts ied eee ‘th est on he, You id li ek moe TAs en ee ws igo ie Fad erlang re ob watts uy Hebd ate mg Sortie were een sound, ecg ase ae Nn econ ‘The girl did nothing to acknowledge re into the ord od have bee a aay pig or goat that ad wade Mr ema irate anette Se we sng into silence. ay if che basket She akan ape asl oN SS ae me she ida ke ast HE PS ee hhad always had plenty © © 516 / The Complete Stores of Flannery O'Connor He ede a ig oy oy a yp supposed they were her brothers and sisters “He ae cn ag im wh ind Siteopt tht nd Yo ent fel a omen we ce He ‘or the government of religion " learn ae an Sa Gel sme wl na Alegent a ‘The woman crossed the porch and picked up what wat left of the bushel of apples. “We thank you,” she said and returned with it imo the house “That your old woman?” Parker muttered ‘The girl nodded, Parker knew a lot of sharp things he could have ‘Hid like “You got my sympathy,” but he was gloomsily silent. He Just sat there, looking atthe view. He thought he must be coming down with something ET pid up some peaches tomorow TL bing you sme” be sid relish of concen. © View from the ry her? Parker thoughe “TI be much cbliged wo you” the gil said, Parker ha no intention of taking any basket of peaks bak there bu the next day he found himself doing it, He andthe gi hed almost nothing to say to each other, One thing he dd 33 ¥2 “T sn’ got any tatoo on my back.” “What you got on it?” the gi aie “My shir,” Parker ssid, “Hae” Parkers Bak | sep sttan ave” the gil sid politely. ker thought he was loving his mind. He could saber for tant tat he was attracted to a woman lke this She sewed Sori least interest in anything buc what he bough unl be ip the third time with two cantaloupe, “What ou nae de shed "0. E. Parker,” he sai ‘What dees the O. E, stand for?" ou can just call me O. E," Parker sid. “Or Parker. Don oo: body cll me by my name.” "Whats sand for?” she pened . “Never mind" Parker ssid. “What’s your?” tell you when you tll me wht them les ae the shat se sid The i jus hi of Bion io be me snd it went rapidly to Parkers head. He had sever eee he tame any man or woman, ot the ies of hod ts and it was on his Banal rend which Be leaked out of the navy files, Parker nacowly mise King stan who used i “You't go bab it around,” he sid en Tl swear Tl ever tell nobody” he sid "On Godt ely 2 awear it” pra “hen be che Parker sat fora few minutes in silence. ee BT's nec, drew her ear cle to his math and re a in low voice agi “Grn he white nn amie came as a sign to her. “Oban” he 2 Te ie lark in Pak a - “Obadiah Eine,” abe sid in 8 HN ge UE you call me thet slud, TH bos ‘sd, “What's yours?” > the sd si “Sarah Ruth Cates” be #8 pe “Glad to meet you, Sarah RO Gael ea i Sarah Rush's father wot 2 SS a dl 2 oni preading iin Pech Tee techn the ge te 518 / The Complete Stories of Flannery O'Connor ihe wh A rk Rt ny Pets eh one ane Sem ee gh ite ee ne wc ogy a anything in portiul had sid, “Td be ‘She scowled. “That ain't being saved,” she sid ek lons air that she agrced ote a ride in is tc, Paker forked tons deerted oad and suggested wo her that thy together inthe back of ie ust like tha NNot until after we'te marie,” she sid 28, ai nessa” Pak ad and a he athe foc he, ‘he chrott him away with such force that the door of the wey ‘ame off and he found himncf fat on his back on the pond ‘made up his mind then and there to have nothing fester de with her, ‘They were martied in the County Ordinary’suice because Sanh Ruth thought churches were idolatrous, Parker had no opinion shor that one way othe other. The Ordinary’ offce was lined with tod fessd fle Does and record books with dasty yellow spr of page ‘hanging on out of them. The Ordinary was an old women with ed bait who bad held ofice for forty years and looked as dusty a et books. She marred them (rom behind dhe rong of and p desk and when she finished, she ssid with a ours "Thyee dlls and fifty cents and till death do you pact! and yanked some forms ot of a machine Marriage did not change Sarah Rath a jot and it made Pate Blomier than evr. Every morning he decided be had had enough and would not return that night; every night he returned. Whe ‘ver Parker couldn't stand the w ay he felt he would have anotber tattoo, but the only surface left on him now was his back. To see a {wttoo on his awn back he would have to get two mirrors and stand been them in just the caret poiton Sad ths need to Parke @ good way to make an idiot of himself. ‘Sarah Ruth who, if she ha had beter ss cl hve ej soe be wal sot even lk tthe nt ie ad cewbere When he eee Parkers Bak / 59 cepca detail of them, she would shut ber eg io rack as wel, Except in ttl darkness, de ented saned and with his eves rolled down Fae ge jndgement seat of God, Jest i going to yt yo, What sn doing all your hfe besides have pews drm ol re abe si - "5h on ol me none” Pater i ye jum ad te iy gil Tork fr Uke meso mich sel ay, Cae a Mr rs you and me aasate teeplag tal dui el the Sons ye ght to go back to God yl have to answer for tht to. You ought sig the frit of the ea” ia Per ig mc enh at ttt ht jngee eo Gos wl be te ain if a ge aa in with tales of the hefty gil i way When be cul, he roe i diel te rd fr", Paks el sei Bi a Fae ia Gh ad So yk yew? “pod you ol ov en Bre eo i sas ny hin” hele" Mr ar he ih es ing panerrammer” ‘This had i a, en Be Se aaee wt eset Desire gn at ce conning onde of ao hal as no help for fe Aim halle iii oh ithismind, He ned having en en ould not be ble to resist religions ee ara al i se ok th ae i Ec ied en he gg Ts oe te Wi Teepe ar Ae 8 Ge ek ii ted 2 ye you think 1 wane ne oe Von al He a ome i enh tie Se Wat leady Tsing Hh Sr hy ot Sei Neri no 2 woman who was ba al 4 Bg Sey Rte ant aes ae 520 / The Complete Spores of Flannery 0’ Connor Someone were wailing him. He had had a granddaddy who hag ended in the state menial hospital although not unt! he we seventyfive but a urgent a it might be fr him to get a tates it wat jst as urgent that he get exacly the right one to bring Sarah Ruth to hee. As he continued to worry over it his eyes tack on a hollow precccupied expression, The old woman he worked for eld him tha if he coulda’ esp his mind on what he was doing, she knew where she could find a fouren-yearold colored boy whe Could. Parker was to preoccupied even tobe offended, At anytime Devious he would hae left her then and ther, saying diy, “Wel, You go ahead on and get him then.” ‘Two or three mornings Inter he was baling hay woman's sorry baler and her broken dovn tractor in a ‘eared save for one enormous old tree standing in the middle of i The old woman was the kind wbo would net eut down a args ld ree because it was a large old tee. She had peinted it out eg Parker as if he didn't have eyes and told him to be careful not ty hi it as the machine picked up hay near it. Parker began a the outside of the field and made circles inward towaed it. Ele had se off the actor every now and then and untangle the baling eord or kick a rock out of the way. The old woman had told lem wo Cary the rocks to the edge of the field, which he did when she wes there watching: When he chought he could make it, he ran over jem. As he circled the ld his mind was on a suitable design for fis back The su, the ize of golf ball, began to switch regularly from in fron wo behind him, but he appeared to eee i both pacts aif he had eyes in the back of his head. All at once he sow the tec reaching out to gresp him, A ferocious thud. propeled im invo the air and he heard himself yelling in an unbelievably loud voice, “GOD ABOVE!” He landed on his back whil jnto the tree and burst in th the old large fed, le the tractor crashed upside down to flame. The fist thing Parker saw were Bi shoes quickly being eaten by the fre; one was caught under the acon the ouher was some distance away, burning by ile. He Wao a them. He could fs the hot breath ofthe burning tee oni face He scrambled backward, sll iting his ees cavernous, nd i he had known how to cross himself he tould have done it Parker's Back / 531 His ate! in ‘still backwards, but faster and faster; half J at ta Ene a tnet ace, His lege felt ike two eld sy lapsed on his Kné kt bic he coltPirs He reached the truck finally and tock of in it ce ee een ca i ea ates i ee bad bern a gre cera 6 Se ee ete Niue guid, bel arr int pro back street. Parker, still barefooted, burst silent! ‘leh vss esc ce inte aero The ait tho a Sr or eng t table, tracing a design in green Rd ra ad ee me Par inthe helloweyed cree before Him Oe ee an de one artist eae Jook at him with ie intellectual, superic “don't piattattoot on drunks," he said. viel wre tht tape tet You done work for me before and I always pall “The arti looked at hrm aother moment 3 Tr ahogether sure, “You've fallen off some,’ be been in jail,” a “Oh,” said the artist, With the aid = a nice) so a a detail. Te was about the in re a a a eo ta a et Soe wo 8 ow ot oo eal mag ate ie Cline a the bk of 0 8 PE books. "Who are you inte! “God,” Parker said. 522 / The Complete Stare of Flannery O'Connor "Father, Son or Spirit?" “Just God” Parker ssid impatiently. $0 it’s God, ‘The ans returned with a book. Ne moved some papers of another table and put the book down on it and told Parker 9 on down and see what be liked, “The update one are inthe back > he sad, "Christ. 1 dont cae, fuse Parker sat down withthe book and wet hi thumb. He began to 0 through it begining at the back where the uptodate ence Were. Some of them he recognized—The Good Shepherd, Roba ‘Them Not, The Sniling Jesus, Jeus the Physician's Friend, bet he Kept curing rapidly backwards and the pictures became lex and less reassuring. One showed a gaunt green dead face wreaked with blocd. One was yellow with sagging purple eyes, Parkers hear, began to beat face and faster until it appeared tobe soaring inde Him like a great generator. He flipped the pages quickly fing that when he reached the one ordained, a sign would come, He

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