Description

Another "Short Story" collection of King's work, but this time all the stories follow in a series from 1960 to 1999, although each stands alone. They all have a common underlying theme - Vietnam, and they follow the same series of people throughout their life, from children, through Vietnam to adulthood.

Published

1999

Dedication

This is for Joseph and Lenora and Ethan: I told you all that to tell you this.

Story List

• Blind Willie
• Hearts in Atlantis
• Heavenly Shades of Night are Falling
• Low Men in Yellow Coats
• Why We're In Vietnam

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Blind Willie

Description

William Shearman and his friends beat up Carol Gerber as children. In a way, acting as the Blind Willie Garfield, he is punishing himself for the things he has done in his life. Starting out as the suit-wearing Bill Shearman, he transforms himself into a blind beggar that rakes in up to $3,000 each day from passers by. He begs opposite the same church each day, accepting money and gifts of kindness and food from locals.

Police officer Jasper Wheelock believes that Blind Willie is not blind at all, but still accepts a bribe to leave him alone. Keeping only the paper money, the coins are regularly distributed to local churches, the bulk going to the church opposite his usual haunt.

This is a rewritten story, updated from it's initial printing in Anaetus and the later reprint in King's Six Stories. The characters are more complete, and the stories ending is more in line with the rest of King's works.

Published

1994 - Antaeus No 75/76: The Final Volume
1997 - Six Stories
1999 - Hearts in Atlantis (Revised)

People

Name	Description
?, Ed	Rang Midtown Heating and Cooling about their add in the Nylex Yellow Pages. His return number was 1-800-555-1000
Allen, Mr	Visiting Sharon and Bill for Christmas on 17th of December, 1983
Allen, Mrs	Visiting Sharon and Bill for Christmas on 17th of December, 1983
Brissum, Bob	Commanding Officer of Delta Company in Vietnam
Cratchit, Bob	Mentioned in passing
Dark, Alvin	Baseball Player
Dieffenbaker, ? (Deef)	Lietutennant in Vietnam
Donahue, Sharon Anne	Maiden name of Sharon Shearman. Went to St Gabriels the Steadfast Secondary Parochial School in Harwich. Finished in 1964
Doolin, Harry	Friend of William Shearman in Vietnam. He helped William beat up Carol Gerber as a young child
Doors, The	Band mentioned in passing
Dubray, Mr	Visiting Sharon and Bill for Christmas on 17th of December, 1983
Dubray, Mrs	Visiting Sharon and Bill for Christmas on 17th of December, 1983
Fiegler, Raymond	Head of the Militant Students for Peace. Seen at the location of a bomb blast in Danbury shortly before the bomb exploded in Summer of 1970
Fonda, Peter	Actor mentioned in passing
Ford, Gerald	President of the USA
Garfield, ?	Son of William Garfield. He is 15, and goes to a parochial school. He does not really exist
Garfield, Robert (Bobby)	Boyfriend of Carol Gerber as children, and the glove Blind Willie uses to beg with was stolen by William Shearman from him
Garfield, William J (Blind Willie)	Blind Willie is actually the 3rd part of the transformation of Bill Shearman to William Shearman to Blind Willie Garfield. He is a returned Vietnam vet that is blind and has a son in school. He earns up to $3,000 each day from begging on Fifth Avenue. Served in Dong Ha, Quang Tri, Thua Thien, Tam Boi and A Shau
Gerber, Anita	Mother of Carol and Ian Gerber
Gerber, Carol	Militant Student for Peace member that was beaten up as a child by Shearman, Doolin and O''Meara. Seen at the location of a bomb blast in Danbury shortly before the bomb exploded in Summer of 1970
Gerber, Ian	Brother of Carol Gerber
Gerber, Mr	Father of Carol and Ian Gerber
God	Mentioned in passing
Golden, Charlie (Duck)	Member of the Militant Students for Peace. Died in October 1971 in a shootout on Benefit Street, Los Angeles
Haman, ?	Mentioned in passing
Hanratty, Eric	Police officer that used to be bribed by Blind Willie. Started paying him $125, and finished with $200 per month when he retired in 1978 and Jasper Wheelock took over
Jesus	Mentioned in passing
Johnson, Lyndon B	Former USA President mentioned in passing
Malenfant, Ron (Ronnie)	Was in Delta Company in Vietnam with William Shearman. Plays hearts, and had a bad dose of Acne
McBride, John	Member of the Militant Students for Peace. Husband of Sally McBride. Died in October 1971 in a shootout on Benefit Street, Los Angeles
McBride, Sally	Member of the Militant Students for Peace. Wife of John McBride. Died in October 1971 in a shootout on Benefit Street, Los Angeles
O''Meara, Richie	Friend of William Shearman in Vietnam. Helped beat up Carol Gerber as a child
Pagano, Dick (Pags)	In Delta company two-two in Vietnam with William Shearman
Raymer, George	Police officer in Harwich when William Shearman was a child
Reagan, Ronald	President of the USA
Rockwell, Norman	Painter mentioned in passing
Ross, Diana	Singer mentioned in passing
Santa Claus	There are a lot of people dressed as Santa in the weeks before Christmas
Shearman, ?	William Shearman, according to the people on the 5th floor of the building where William Shearman has his offices, has 2 children - Sarah, and an unnamed child
Shearman, Carol	The fake name of Bills wife. The other staff in the building think this is his wife''s name
Shearman, Mrs	Mother of William Shearman and wife of Pat Shearman
Shearman, Pat	Father of William Shearman. He used to beat his wife and son
Shearman, Sarah	Fake name of bills 8 year old daughter
Shearman, Sharon Anne	Wife of Bill. Married name of Sharon Donahue
Shearman, William Robert (Bill)	Husband of Sharon. Bill works for Western States Land Analysis, but when he becomes William Shearman, he works for Midtown Heating and cooling. Neither company actually does anything, as they are a front for his disguise as Blind Willie Garfield. Born 4/1/1946. He helped beat up Carol Gerber as a child and stole the baseball mitt from Bobby Garfield and uses it to help begging
Shelf, Andrew	Colonel above Bob Brissum in Vietnam
Slocum, Sly	A man William Shearman knew in Vietnam
Slocum, William (Willie)	Another murdering alter-ego of William Shearman based on Sly Slocum, and will possibly murder officer Jasper Wheelock
Stuart, Paul	Clothes Designer
Sullivan, John (Sully-John)	William Shearman saved his life in 1970 in Vietnam, but knew him from when they were children
Wheelock, Jasper	Police officer that is paid $300/month to allow Blind Willie Garfield to beg on Fifth Avenue. He thinks Blind Willie is faking his sight loss, and is asking for $400 per month starting January 1984
Williams, Andy	Singer mentioned in passing
Williamson, Ralph	Accountant at Garowicz Financial Planning, on the 6th floor of the office that William Shearman has his office. Big man
Wollensky, ?	William Shearman saw him get shot in the throat in Dong Ha, Vietnam. (His name is mentioned in 'Why We're in Vietnam'

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Hearts in Atlantis

Description

Peter Riley, a college freshman becomes slowly addicted to the game of Hearts played in his 3rd floor Dormatory in the University of Maine. One after another, the students find themselves falling behind in their work, but the Hearts game is their only true joy in life.

Peter watches his friends fail, his girlfriend leave, and the war escalating in Vietnam, and realizes that failure in his courses may well mean he is sent into the war he does not believe in.

Published

1999 - Hearts in Atlantis

People

Name	Description
? And the Mysterians	Sung a popular song "96 Tears"
?, Cindy	Girlfriend of Nathan Hoppenstand. A Senior at Wilson Consolidated High School, who eventually married him
?, Esther	Tutored in calculus by Carol Gerber for $6/hour. Hopeless and whiny
Anderson, Colonel	His University of Maine Intro to military history class was mentioned
Anka, Paul	Singer mentioned by Stanley Kirk
Astaire, Fred	Actor mentioned in passing
Aubert, Becka	Girlfriend of Tom Huckabee. Lived in Franklin Dorm
Auster, Kenny	Student on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall. He left the University with no warning
Babcock, Mr	Peter Riley''s English lecturer
Bardot, Bridget	Actress mentioned in passing
Barnum, P T	Mentioned in passing
Beatles, The	Band mentioned in passing
Berry, Chuck	Singer on the radio
Blutarski, Bluto	Stokley Jones was said to have a Bluto Blutarski upper half
Bogart, Humphrey	Peter Riley had a poster of him over his bed
Boone, Daniel	Mentioned in passing
Brautigan, Theodore (Ted)	Helped when Carol Gerber was beat up as a child. He lived upstairs from Bobby Garfield
Brennan, ?	Older Brother of Hugh. In the Navy
Brennan, Hugh	Student on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall. Flunked Uni. He invented the Match points for the Hearts game
Brennan, Mrs	Mother of Hugh
Brundage, Harvey	Helped tutor Skip Kirk in Anthropology
Cadbury, Dr	University of Maine doctor
Cannon, Freddy (Boom Boom)	Singer on the radio
Carbury, Dr	Tended to Stokely Jones after his fall on the ice
Cartwright, Pa	Character in the TV show "Bonanza"
Clark, Petula	Mentioned in passing
Clark, Ramsey	Mentioned in passing
Crockett, Davy	Mentioned in passing
Crosby, Bing	Entertainer mentioned in passing
Cumberlands, The	University of Maine Band playing at the dance in October 1966
Dark, Alvin	Baseball Player
Dave Clark Five	Band liked by Nathan Hoppenstand
Dearborn, David (Dearie)	Floor Proctor on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall. From Falmouth. He was hated by a lot of the boys in Chamberlain Hall, and did not play Hearts
Dearborn, Mr	Father of David that served in France and Germany
DeLucca, Mrs	Mother of Tony. She created a sampler that hung in the 3rd floor lounge at Chamberlain Hall. It simply read "2.5"
DeLucca, Tony	Student at the University of Maine on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall. Did not return to Uni in 1967
Diamond, Neil	Singer mentioned in passing
Dickens, Charles	Author mentioned in passing
Diem, President	Died in 1954. Mentioned in Passing
Disraeli, Benjamin	Peter Riley thought of a quote from him regarding "Blue Balls"
Doolin, Harry	He was one of the 3 that beat up Carol Gerber as a child in 1960
Doors, The	Band mentioned in passing
Doria, Lennie	Student on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall. He asked Peter Riley to write a paper for him
Dovells, The	Band on the radio
Duck, Donald	Cartoon character mentioned in passing
Dylan, Bob	Singer mentioned in passing
Eastwood, Clint	Actor mentioned in passing
Ebersole, Charles	University of Maine disciplinary Officer
Echolls, Randy	Student on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall but flunked Uni. One of the inventors of the Match points for Hearts. Did not return to Uni in 1967
Fontana, Wayne	Singer mentioned in passing
Four Seasons, The	Band on the radio
Frady, Jack	Student on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall. Quit statistics classes because of slipping grades but left for Chadbourne Hall because of the Hearts game. Roommate of Steve Ogg
Frampton, Peter	Mentioned in passing
Fudd, Elmer	Cartoon character mentioned in passing
Garbo, Greta	Actress mentioned in passing
Garfield, Bobby	First boyfriend of Carol Gerber
Garfield, Elizabeth (Liz)	Mother of Bobby. Not mentioned by name
Garretsen, Sven	Dean of Men in the University of Maine
Gerber, Anita	Mother of Carol Gerber. She started drinking, and Carol dropped out of Uni to help her
Gerber, Carol	She was a student of the University of Maine on Franklin Hall''s second floor. Girlfriend of John Sullivan, but dropped him to go out with Peter Riley who she worked with at Holyoke. Went to anti-war protests. They eventually became lovers before she left to take care of her mother
Gerber, Ian	Brother of Carol Gerber
Gerber, Mr	Father of Carol. Left the Navy with a disability pension, and divorced from Mrs Gerber
Gerry and the Pacemakers	Band liked by Nathan Hoppenstand
Gilman, George	He was in a political demonstration that was photographed in the Derry News. Student of the University of Maine
God	Mentioned in passing
Goldberg, Arthur	American representative on the UN council
Golding, William	Author of Lord of the Flies, a book given to Peter Riley by Carol Gerber
Haggard, Merle	Singer mentioned in passing
Herman''s Hermits	Band mentioned in passing
Hewson, Mrs	Mother of Rionda Hewson
Hewson, Rionda	Friend of Mrs Gerber
Hope, Bob	Entertainer that toured the troops in Vietnam
Hoppenstand, ?	One of Three children of Cindy and Nathan Hoppenstand
Hoppenstand, ?	One of Three children of Cindy and Nathan Hoppenstand
Hoppenstand, ?	One of Three children of Cindy and Nathan Hoppenstand
Hoppenstand, Cindy	Wife of Nathan
Hoppenstand, Mrs	Mother of Nathan Hoppenstand
Hoppenstand, Nathan	Roommate of Peter Riley on Chamberlain Hall''s 3rd floor. Religious boy that was studying Pre-Dent, and eventually became a dentist with a practice in Houlton. Married to Cindy. Did not play Hearts
Huckabee, Tom	He was at the University of Maine in the King Dorm. Boyfriend of Becka Aubert. He found the spray painting on the wall at the University, that was done by Stokely Jones
Humphrey, Hubert	Vice President of the USA
Huston, John	Directed the movie "The Maltese Falcon"
Jack the Ripper	Mentioned in passing
Jackson, Wanda	Singer on the radio
Jalbert, ?	Husband of Annmarie Jalbert
Jalbert, Annmarie	Married name of Annmarie Soucie
Johnson, Lyndon B	President of the USA
Jones, ?	Older Sister of Stokely Jones. Killed in a car accident
Jones, Mr	Father of Stokely Jones. Killed in a car accident
Jones, Mrs	Mother of Stokely Jones. Killed in a car accident
Jones, Stokely III (Rip-Rip)	Crippled Student at the University of Maine on Chamberlain Hall''s 3rd floor. Injured in a car accident in about 1962 that killed his parents and older sister, and eventually became an activist lawyer. He did not play hearts. Did not return to Uni in 1967, mainly because of his illness made worse from falling in the snow
Joseph	Character in the Bible
King, Martin Luther	Rights activist mentioned in passing
Kirk, Mr	Father of Stanley Kirk. Died of ulcers
Kirk, Mrs	Wife of Skip Kirk. Rung Peter Riley after Skip had a mild Heart Attack
Kirk, Stanley (Skip or Captain)	Student in Chamberlain Hall''s 3rd floor. Good friend of Peter Riley who eventually became a successful artist. Room mate of Brad Witherspoon. He had potential to be a great baseball player
Ky, Nguyen Cao	South Vietnam Prime Minister
Landon, Michael	Actor who died
Lang, Penny	Friend of Carol Gerber
Leitch, Donovan	Singer mentioned in passing
Lessard, George	Student on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall but left for Chadbourne Hall because of the Hearts game
Lombardi, Vince	Mentioned in passing
Lopez, Trini	Mentioned in passing
Lorrne, Peter	Actor in the movie "The Maltese Falcon"
Malenfant, Mrs	Mother of Ronnie
Malenfant, Ron (Ronnie)	Foul mouthed student on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall that eventually committed suicide. Grew up on Lisbon Street, Lewiston. He went to war in Vietnam after dropping out of Uni. Sent a card in March 1967 to Chamberlain Hall
Marchant, Billy	Student living in Chamberlain Hall
Margeaux, Barry	Student on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall. He got the Derry news delivered. Did not return to Uni in 1967
Marshall, John	Mentioned on the radio
Martin, Dean	Singer liked by Nathan Hoppenstand
Mary	Character in the Bible
Mason, Perry	TV Detective
McClendon, Kirby	Student on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall. He was 6ft 7", and left the University after a failed suicide attempt involving baby asprin in November 1966
McClendon, Mr	Father of Kirby McClendon
McClendon, Mrs	Mother of Kirby McClendon
McGinnis, Lorlie	He was in a political demonstration that was photographed in the Derry News. Student of the University of Maine. Partner of Nathan Hoppenstand in Botany Lab
McGoohan, Patrick	Actor in "The Prisoner"
McNamara, Mr	Mentioned in passing
McPhail, Hunter	He was in a political demonstration that was photographed in the Derry News. Student of the University of Maine
Mezensik, Mr	Teacher of Peter Riley
Miller, Mitch	Singer liked by Nathan Hoppenstand
Mineo, Sal	Actor in "Tonka"
Morin, Kerry	He was in a political demonstration that was photographed in the Derry News. Student of the University of Maine
Newman, Alfred E	From MAD magazine
Nixon, Richard	President of the USA
O''Connor, Flannery	Writer being studied by Carol Gerber
O''Mera, Richie	Not mentioned by name, but he was one of the 3 that beat up Carol Gerber as a child in 1960
Ochs, Phil	Folk Singer that was liked by Nathan Hoppenstand
Ogg, Steve	Student on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall but left for Chadbourne Hall because of the Hearts game. Roommate of Jack Frady
Orbison, Roy	Singer
Pan, Peter	Mentioned in passing
Parmeleau, Frank	Owner of Franks Fountain in Gates Falls
Platters, The	Band on the radio
Prouty, ?	Father of Nicholas. Lobsterman
Prouty, Nicholas	Freshman on Chamberlain Hall''s 3rd floor. Did not return to Uni in 1967
Randle, ?	Dean of Arts and Sciences at the University of Maine
Renee, Diane	Singer liked by Nathan Hoppenstand
Reynolds, Burt	Actor mentioned in passing
Rice, Ashley	Student on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall. Flunked Uni playing hearts. Had bad acne
Richard, Little	Singer on the radio
Riley, ?	Daughter of Peter, mentioned in passing. The story is set in 1966, but is written almost 30 years later after Peter Riley had married and had children
Riley, David	Brother of Peter. Accountant of a hamburger chain. Married to Katie Riley. 6 years older than Peter
Riley, Katie	Wife of David Riley
Riley, Mr	Father of Peter. He worked at Gates Falls Mills and Weaving for 20 years until he fell while at work, and lost his sight. He was in a coma for 19 days
Riley, Mrs	Mother of Peter Riley. She gave him $300 to help with tutoring once he got behind in his courses. Died of Pancreatic Cancer
Riley, Peter	The main character of the story. It is his fight between the love of his girlfriend and the love of playing the card game of Hearts. He wanted to be a writer, and was dating Annmaree Soucie and then Carol Gerber. He was the room mate of Nathan Hoppenstand, in room 302 of Chamberlain Hall''s 3rd floor
Rinty	Dog owned by Nathan Hoppenstand
Rockwell, Norman	Artist Mentioned in passing
Rockwell, Norman	Mentioned in passing
Rolling Stones, The	Band mentioned in passing
Royal Teens, The	Band on the radio
Russell, Bertrand	The "inventor" of the peace sign. It is actually a combination of the semaphore letters N and D, standing for Nuclear Disarmament
Satan	Mentioned in passing
Scott, Jack	Singer on the radio
Sexton, Libby	Studied with Carol Gerber
Shadwick, Bill	He was in a political demonstration that was photographed in the Derry News. Student of the University of Maine
Shakespere, William	Author mentioned in passing
Shearman, Willie	Stole Bobby Garfield''s glove after he and 2 others beat up Carol Gerber. He was the only one that apologised for beating her up in 1960
Simpson, O.J	Man on trial
Snyder, Gary	Poet mentioned in passing
Soucie, Annmarie	Girlfriend of Peter Riley, and his senior prom date in April 1966, until he met Carol Gerber. She lived in Gates Falls. Maiden name of Annemarie Jalbert
Spade, Sam	Character in the movie "The Maltese Falcon"
Stalin, Joseph	Mentioned in passing
Stevens, Stella	Name on a record owned by Nathan Hoppenstand
Stewart, Martha	Mentioned in passing
StPierre, Mark	He lost $20 playing Hearts, and had a sleepwalking episode soon after. Lived on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall. Did not return to Uni in 1967
Struttenheimer, Marjorie	The Franklin dorm 2nd floor Proctor. In 1969 became the founder and president of the Christians for College America (CCA)
Stuart, Frank	Student on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall and kept loosing at Hearts. He left university and went to work as a caretaker for some cabins near his mother. He was the first to leave, on October 25, 1966
Stuart, Mrs	Mother of Frank Stuart
Sullivan, Ed	TV Show Host
Sullivan, John (Sully-John)	Boyfriend of Carol Gerber until she met Peter Riley. He was intent on joining the army and going to Vietnam when he finished school in June 1967
Swidrowski, Harry	He was in a political demonstration that was photographed in the Derry News. Student of the University of Maine. He had bad breath
Thant, Secretary General U	In the UN discussing the war in Vietnam
Twiller, Harvey	Student on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall. Did not return to Uni in 1967
Westmoreland, William	General on the cover of Newsweek
White, Andy	At the university of Maine. Flunked his classes and left
Williams, Ted	Baseball Player
Wilson, Jacky	Singer on the radio
Winkin, John	University of Maine Baseball coach
Witherspoon, Brad	Friend of Peter Riley at the University of Maine on the 3rd floor of Chamberlain Hall. He also washed dishes at Holyoke. He was the first to get a Disciplinary Procedure against him for fighting over the game of hearts. He was the roommate of Stankey Kirk. Did not return to Uni in 1967
Youngbloods, The	A band played in the 1969 anti-war protests

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Heavenly Shades of Night are Falling

Description

Written more as a conclusion to the 4 earlier stories, it brings together Bobby Garfield and his childhood girlfriend Carol Gerber almost 40 years after the story starts, but also confirms that this is indeed a Stephen King story, with a gentle link to the Dark Tower yet again.

Published

1999 - Hearts in Atlantis

People

Name	Description
Bradbury, Ray	Mentioned in passing
Brautigan, Theodore (Ted)	A breaker that was remembered from Bobby Garfield''s childhood. He sent the baseball glove to Bobby Garfield by way of Norman Oliver
Breakers, The	People who break the Beam. Ted Brautigan was a breaker
Burton, Mr	Used to run a newsstand at the Railway Station when Bobby Garfield was a child
Dark, Alvin	Baseball Player. Bobby Garfield had an Alvin Dark Baseball glove
Doolin, Harry	Helped beat up Carol Gerber as a child in 1960
Fitzgerald, Father	Bobby Garfield remembered that Rionda had threatened to see the local Priest to to get the names of Doolin, O''Mera and Shearman
Garfield, ?	One of three children of Bobby Garfield
Garfield, ?	One of three children of Bobby Garfield
Garfield, ?	One of three children of Bobby Garfield
Garfield, Elizabeth (Liz)	Mother of Bobby Garfield
Garfield, Mrs	Wife of Bobby Garfield. A professional Photographer
Garfield, Robert (Bobby)	He went to the funeral of his childhood friend John Sullivan. He was sent a a package containing his childhood baseball glove found on John Sullivan''s hand when he died
Gerber, Anita	Mother of Carol Gerber
Gerber, Carol	Childhood girlfriend of Bobby Garfield. She was presumed dead in Benefit St, L.A. but did not die, instead she changed her name to Denise Schoonover and started over again
Gilmer, Jimmy	Singer on the radio
God	Mentioned in passing
Gotrock, ?	Wealthy family mentioned by Liz Garfield
Hewson, Rionda	Friend of Anita Gerber
Kennedy, John F	President who was murdered in Dallas
Lennon, John	Singer who was murdered in New York City
Low men in Yellow Coats, The	Thought of by Bobby Garfield. They caught Ted Brautigan in 1960
McPhatter, Clyde	Singer on the radio when Bobby Garfield sees Carol Gerber in Commonwealth Park
McQuown, Herb	The Monte man that was beaten by Bobby Garfield at Savin Rock in 1960
O''Meara, Richie	Helped beat up Carol Gerber as a child in 1960
Offspring, The	Band on the boombox of the 3 players at Field B in Harwich
Oliver, Norman	John Sullivan''s banker. He forwarded the Baseball glove to Bobby Garfield and told him of the death of John Sullivan
Platters, The	Band on the radio
Ralph	Character in the book Lord of the Flies
Randy and the Rainbows	Band mentioned in passing
Schoonover, Denise	The new name of Carol Gerber. Teaches maths at Vassar. She has a scar from her right eye to under her chin
Shearman, William Robert (Bill or Willie)	He stole Bobby Garfield''s glove as a child, and helped beat up Carol Gerber in 1960
Shondell, Troy	Singer on the radio
Sigsby, Dianne	One of the Sigsby Twins when Bobby Garfield was a child. Sister of Dina
Sigsby, Dina	One of the Sigsby Twins when Bobby Garfield was a child. Sister of Dianne
Sigsby, Mr	Father of the Sigsby Twins Dianne and Dina
Sigsby, Mrs	Mother of the Sigsby Twins Dianne and Dina
Smith, Huey (Piano)	Singer on the radio
Stafford, Jo	Singer mentioned in passing
Sullivan, John L (Sully-John)	He died of a heart attack on the way home from Dick Pagano''s funeral and was buried in West Side Cemetery in Harwich. He had on Bobby Garfield''s baseball glove that was lost in 1960

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Low Men in Yellow Coats

Description

Ted Brautigan moved into the apartment building where young Bobby Garfield lives and Ted and Bobby become close friends, much to the dislike of Bobby's mother Liz. As the story progresses, we find out that the Low Men in Yellow Coats are really Regulators from the Dark Tower, and they are after Ted, and are closing in fast! The Dark Tower link is quite strong, even mentioning Roland and his group in End-World, but it is not the Dark Tower that the story focuses on, but the growing up that Bobby does, and his realisation that life just isn't fair.

The story reaches a peak just before the end of the book when Ted is captured, and Bobby looses his focus in life, but this changes when a simple card filled with red rose petals arrives for Bobby - from Ted!!

Published

1999 - Hearts in Atlantis

People

Name	Description
?, Cora	Aunt of Carol Gerber who lived in Pennsylvania. Wife of Ray
?, Dee	Diablo gang member that Bobby Garfield first saw in the Corner Pocket, and he later saved Bobby from Other Diablo gang members after dark in Bridgeport
?, Filo	Diablo gang member that was going to shake down Bobby Garfield until stopped by Dee. Spoke about the Low Men in Yellow Coats and their cars
?, Jack	Character in Lord of the Flies
?, Juan	Diablo gang member that was going to shake down Bobby Garfield until stopped by Dee. Spoke about the Low Men in Yellow Coats and their cars
?, Mickey	Mickey and Sylvia sung "Love is Strange"
?, Morrie	Friend of Bobby Garfield when he moved to Massachusetts
?, Moso	Diablo gang member that was going to shake down Bobby Garfield until stopped by Dee. Spoke about the Low Men in Yellow Coats and their cars
?, Ralph	Character in Lord of the Flies
?, Ray	Uncle of Carol Gerber who lived in Pennsylvania. Husband of Cora
?, Sylvia	Mickey and Sylvia sung "Love is Strange"
Adam	Character in the bible
Albini, Eddie	Boxer that fought Tommy Haywood. 36 years old. Lost to Sugar Ray Masters in a TKO in his last fight. Won the fight when Haywood threw the fight in the 8th round
Allen, Mel	Radio cigarette salesman
Anderson, John T	He stole a heap of shopping trolleys, but was caught and arrested by Kirby Malloy in 1960
Anka, Paul	Singer heard on the Radio
Arden, Dale	Cartoon character
Asimov, Isaac	Writer of science fiction books. Real name of Paul French
Aslop, Stewart	Writer in the paper
Attila the Hun	Mentioned in passing
Avery, Angela	Friend of Carol Gerber
Bardot, Brigitte	Actress on a poster outside the Asher Empire
Biderman, Donald	Owner of Home Town Real Estate. Lover of Liz Garfield, but when they went on a trip away with Bill Cushman and Curtis Dean they bashed and raped her
Bowser	Dog owned by Mrs O''Hara
Brando, Marlon	Actor mentioned in passing
Brant, Rick	Character in a book read by Bobby Garfield
Brautigan, Theodore (Ted)	New tenant in the building where Bobby Garfield lived. Gave Bobby a copy of the book Lord of the Flies for his 11th birthday. He was watching for the Low Men in Yellow Coats who were searching for him. He hired Bobby to read for him, and look for signs of the Low Men. 66 Years old, and told Liz Garfield he worked as an accountant for the Office of the Comptroller, but he was really a Breaker, working for the Crimson King, and was eventually captured
Breakers, The	They work for the Crimson King to help break the beams. Ted Brautigan is one
Brinkley, David	Did the evening news on TV
Burton, Mr	Ran a Newsstand beneath the railway overpass
Calhoun, Haystack	Wrestler mentioned in passing
Calhoun, Myra	Friend of Liz Garfield that offered her a job in Massachusetts. She used to work at Home Town Real Estate
Cam	One of The Regulators, or Low Men in Yellow Coats that captured Ted Brautigan
Cannon, Freddy (Boom Boom)	Singer mentioned in passing
Carlson, Richard	Movie hero mentioned in passing
Champs, The	Singers of a song played in the Pocket
Clark, Dick	On TV. Did a Stri-Dex add
Conlan, Mrs	Neighbour of Bobby Garfield. She was about 75 Years old
Coughlan, Mr	He drew a name out of the hat for a week at Camp Winiwinaia that was won by John Sullivan. He was bald
Crimson King, The	The ruler of the Dark Tower
Cullen, Bill	Host of The Price is Right
Cushman, Bill	Agent who worked with Don Biderman at the real estate. Went away for the weekend with Liz Garfield and helped beat her up
Darin, Bobby	Liked by Carol Gerber. On American Bandstand
Dean, Curtis	Agent who worked with Don Biderman at the real estate. Went away for the weekend with Liz Garfield and helped beat her up
Dedham, Moira	Friend of Rionda Hewson
DeLois, ?	Ex-Wife of Roy DeLois. Divorced
DeLois, Roy	Taxi Driver who took Bobby Garfield to Bridgeport after dark. Divorced
Deschain, Roland	Not mentioned by name, only as the Gunslinger, that is on his way to the Dark Tower. He was located at End-World
Despegni, ?	Owner of a local funeral parlor on Narraganset St, Bridgeport
Donahue, Billy	Went to school at St Gabe''s school and was after Bobby Garfield
Donald Duck	Cartoon character
Doolin, Harry	Picked on Bobby Garfield and Carol Gerber. He hit Carol a number of times with his baseball bat. He was eventually beaten up by Bobby Garfield on 6 August 1960. Son of Mary Doolin
Doolin, Mary	Mother of Harry Doolin
Doolin, Mr	Husband of Mary. Used to beat up people
Doolittle, Dr	Mentioned in passing
Dreiser, Theodore	Author mentioned by Ted Brautigan
Drew, Nancy	Author read by Bobby Garfield
Earp, Wyatt	TV Show character mentioned in passing
Eddy, Dwayne	On Rock and Roll show in Hartford
Eisenhower, Dwight D	President in 1960
Ekberg, Anita	On the cover of life Magazine in June 1960
Emerson, Ralph Waldo	Studied at school by Bobby Garfield
Evers, Mrs	Bobby Garfield''s second grade teacher. Hated by Liz Garfield
Fabian	Mentioned in passing
Files, Alanna	Sister of Len. Knew Bobby Garfield''s father and told him a bit about his father
Files, Len	Fat man who ran The Pocket billiard parlor and bar. Brother of Alanna Files
Fitzgerald, Father	Local priest mentioned by Rionda Hewson
Ford, Whitey	Baseball Player
Frankenstien, Dr	Mentioned in passing
French, Paul	Pen name of Isaac Asimov who wrote about Lucky Starr
Garfield, Elizabeth (Liz)	Mother of Bobby. She worked for Donald Biderman as a secretary after the death of her husband Randall. Married name of Elizabeth Penrose
Garfield, Jack Merridew	The second name Bobby Garfield gave when he was captured by the police after breaking into a store at 14. He got the Jack Merridew name from Lord on the Flies book
Garfield, Ralph	The first name Bobby Garfield gave when he was captured by the police after breaking into a store at 14
Garfield, Randall	Father of Bobby, and husband of Liz. He died of a heart attack at the age of 36, when Bobby was just 3 years old. Worked at Home Town Real Estate. Had red hair, but was going bald
Garfield, Robert (Bobby)	A red headed young boy that went to Harwich Elementary School. It is his story of life in the 60''s. Son of Elizabeth and Randall Garfield
Gerber, Anita	Mother of Carol and Ian Gerber
Gerber, Carol	Blond friend of Bobby Garfield. Her father is in the Navy. Bobby''s first girlfriend
Gerber, Ian	Younger brother of Carol Gerber
Gerber, Mr	Father of Carol. Left the Navy with a disability pension, and divorced from Mrs Gerber
Ginger	Imaginary pet mentioned by Ted Brautigan
Girardi, Arthur	Grandfather of Jimmy Gerardi. Spoke to Ted Brautigan in The Pocket in Bridgeport. Still well connected
Girardi, Jimmy	Friend of Len Files. Grandson of Arthur Girardi
Godlow, Mrs	Ticket Seller at the Asher Empire movie theatre. Called Mrs Godzilla by the local children
Golding, William	Author who wrote Lord of the flies
Goodis, David	Novelist that came up with the saying "Down There" for seedy parts of a town
Goodman, Benny	Orchestra leader mentioned in passing
Goofy	Cartoon character
Gordon, Dr	The Garfield family doctor
Gordon, Flash	Cartoon character
Gorgeous George	Wrestler mentioned in passing
Gotrock, ?	Wealthy people
Grandelle, Officer	Juvenile Officer for Bobby Garfield
Gunslinger, The	Known as Roland, but not mentioned by name. He is on his way to The Dark Tower
Hammer, Mike	TV Show character mentioned in passing
Hardin, Ty	Actor in Bronco
Hardy, Frank	One of the Hardy Boys in books
Hardy, Joe	One of the Hardy Boys in books
Harriet	Character in the Ozzie and Harriet show
Harrington, Miss	Worked at Harwich Public Library. Liz Garfield called her Miss Busybody
Haywood, Tommy (Hurricane)	Boxer who fought Eddie Albini in June 1960. 23 Years Old, and was supposed to throw the fight in the 8th round
Hazel, Witch	Mentioned in passing
Hewson, Mr	Father of Rionda. He called a strong Hunch a "Winkle"
Hewson, Rionda	Fat friend of Mrs Gerber that saved Carol Gerber and Bobby Garfield from being beaten by Richie O''Mera and his friends. Drove a 1954 Studebaker
Hood, Robin	Mentioned in passing
Hope, Bob	Entertainer mentioned in passing
Huntley, Chet	Did the evening news on TV
Hurley, Mr	Assistant Principal at Danvers Elementary School. Slapped Bobby Garfield for being insolent
Jesus	Character in the bible
Johansson, Ingermain	The Sweedish Heavyweight
Johnson, Dr Samuel	Mentioned by Ted Brautigan
Jonson, Ben	Quoted by Ted Brautigan. English
Karloff, Boris	Actor mentioned in passing
Kelton, Mrs	Librarian at Harwich Public Library, and friend of Liz Garfield
Kennedy, John F	Presidential candidate in 1960
Killgallen, ?	Lived on the second floor in the apartment building where Bobby Garfield lived in 1960
Kleindienst, Irving	Manager of Tommy Haywood. Known to fix fights
Kubek, Tony	Baseball Player
Lebel, Tina	Friend of Carol Gerber. Born in June
Library Police, The	Mentioned by Ted Brautigan
Lone Ranger, The	Mentioned in passing
Loving, Yvonne (Evvie)	Friend of Carol Gerber
Low Men in Yellow Coats, The	These are Regulators, The from The Dark Tower. They serve the Crimson King, and were out to capture Ted Brautigan and return him to The Dark Tower
Magdalene, Mary	Character in the bible
Malloy, Kirby	Harwich Police Officer who found John Anderson''s shopping trolley collection and arrested him
Mamasan	Old woman in Dong Ha Provence, Vietnam
Mantle, Mickey	Baseball Played mentioned in Passing
Marx, Groucho	John Sullivan tried to imitate him
Mason, Perry	In one of the 2 books borrowed by Bobby Garfield
Masters, Sugar Boy	Fighter. Beat Eddie Albini by TKO in Albini''s last fight
McGavin, Darren	Actor in Mike Hammer
McGuire, Dorothy	Actress in a movie "The dark at the top of the stairs"
McPhatter, Clyde	On Rock and Roll show in Hartford
McQuown, Herb	Monte man at Savin Rock. He was beaten out of 90 cents by Bobby Garfield in 1960. He wore a bowler hat
Merridew, Jack	Character in the Lord of the flies
Mickey Mouse	Cartoon character
Montelone, Mr	Landlord where Bobby Garfield lived
Moore, Clayton	Actor that played the Lone Ranger. Bobby Garfield had a signed picture on his wall
Murphy, Audie	Actor mentioned in passing
Nelson, Ricky	Character in the Ozzie and Harriet show
Nixon, Richard	President of the USA
O''Hara, Mrs	Owner of a dog called Bowser in Colony St, near Bobby Garfield''s house
O''Mera, Richie	Picked on Bobby Garfield and Carol Gerber
Olmquist, Ronnie	Went to the camp with John Sullivan, and became his friend
Ozzie	Character in the Ozzie and Harriet show
Pasternak, Boris	Quoted by Ted Brautigan. Russian
Patterson, Floyd	Presidential candidate in 1960
Payne, John	Actor in a movie seen by Bobby Garfield and John Sullivan
Penrose, Elizabeth	Maiden name of Elizabeth Garfield
Pete	14 year old Collie that was just put down. Owned by Roy DeLois
Phil	7 year old Welsh Corgi missing. Mentioned on a sign in Commonwealth Park. Owned by the Sagamore family, 745 Highgate Ave
Piggy	Character in Lord of the Flies
Platters, The	Band in the 1960''s
Poe, Edgar Allan	Poet mentioned by Ted Brautigan
Pratt, Bill	Played baseball with Bobby Garfield in June 1960
Presley, Elvis	Singer liked by Ted Brautigan
Prosky, ?	Lived on the second floor in the apartment building where Bobby Garfield lived
Queen, Ellery	Author read by Bobby Garfield
Raymer, George	Local police officer in Harwich in 1960
Regulators, The	These are Regulators, The from Dark Tower, The, and also called the Low men in Yellow Coats. They serve the Crimson King, and were out to capture Ted Brautigan and return him to The Dark Tower. They were not human
Richard, Little	Singer on the jukebox at the Corner Pocket
Rivers, Denny	Friend of Bobby Garfield. Owned a balsa glider
Rivers, Mrs	Teacher of Bobby Garfield at Danvers Elementary School. Asked to see Liz Garfield
Robby the Robot	Character in Forbidden Planet
Rodan	Monster in the movies
Ruth, Babe	Baseball player mentioned in passing
Rydell, Bobby	Mentioned in passing
Sagamore, ?	Family that owns Phil the dog. They do not exist
Sanders, George	Hero in the movie "Village of the Damned"
Scott, Raldolph	Movie hero mentioned in passing
Shakespere, William	Mentioned by Ted Brautigan
Shaw, Harry	Played baseball with Bobby Garfield in June 1960
Shearman, Willie	A boy mentioned by Carol Gerber who was nice to her when he was alone. Went to St Gabriel the Steadfast''s school, and beat up Carol, and threatened Bobby Garfield. Had Dark Red Hair
Sidley, ?	Daughter of Miss Sidley
Sidley, Miss	Used to live in the apartment that Ted Brautigan moved into. She had a stroke and moved in with her daughter
Sigsby, Dianne	Twin daughter of Mr & Mrs Sigsby. Sister of Dina
Sigsby, Dina	Twin daughter of Mr & Mrs Sigsby. Sister of Dianne
Sigsby, Mr	Father of Dina & Dianne
Sigsby, Mrs	Mother of twins Dina & Dianne on Asher Ave
Simak, Clifford D	Author of Ring around the Sun - a book about the idea of parallel worlds
Skowron, Moose	Baseball Player
Spicer, ? (Old Man)	Owner of Spicers Store
Stafford, Jo	Singer liked by Randall Garfield
Starr, Lucky	Character in Paul French novel
Steele, Karen	Actor in a movie seen by Bobby Garfield and John Sullivan
Steinbeck, ?	Writer who''s book was given to Bobby Garfield by Ted Brautigan
Sullivan, ?	Older brother of John Sullivan
Sullivan, Ed	TV Show host
Sullivan, George	Oldest brother of John Sullivan at 20 years old
Sullivan, John L (Sully-John)	Friend of Bobby Garfield. Black hair, green eyes. Took Trombone Lessons. He won a week away to Camp Winiwinaia in the 1960 Summer holidays
Sullivan, Mrs	Mother of John Sullivan. Worked for the Tip-Top bakery in Harwich
Sullivan, Ralph	Ralph Sullivan was the name that Bobby Garfield went to school as in a daydream
Sweeney, Apeneck	Mentioned by Ted Brautigan
Swift, Tom	Character in a book read by Bobby Garfield
Taylor, Elizabeth (Liz)	Mentioned in passing
Terrell, ?	Coach of the Wolves baseball team with Bobby Garfield
Tracy, Dick	Cartoon character
Tripps, Peter	Does countdown on the radio
Trixie	Imaginary pet mentioned by Ted Brautigan
Trueman, Harry	President when Randall Garfield died
Utterson, Francis	Friend of Bobby Garfield. "Soft Headed", Buck toothed, and rode a scooter all the time
Wayne, John	Actor liked by Bobby Garfield
Wells, H.G	Author of the Time Machine
Wendell, Duke	Went to the camp with John Sullivan, and became his friend
Wills, Maury	Dodgers player mentioned in passing
Winchell, Walter	Writer in the paper. A gossip
Winslow, Don	Character in Children''s books
Wyndham, John	Author of the Midwich Cukoo''s that was made into the movie "Village of the Damned"
Wynn, Keenan	On a TV Add for Camel cigarettes
Yearman, Charlie	Janitor at Harwich Elementary School in 1960

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Why We're In Vietnam

Description

John Sullivan lives in his personal hell. Bracketed by his memories of the war in Vietnam, he makes his way through life, eventually becoming a moderately successful car salesman, although he can never shake the image of an old woman that was murdered during the war. Eventually he accepts the images he sees, and in the conclusion of this section, he embraces the old woman, with unusual consequences.

Published

1999 - Hearts in Atlantis

People

Name	Description
? And the Mysterians	Had a hit song "96 Tears"
Ackerman, William	Musician mentioned in passing
Animals, The	A band liked by Dick Pagano
Bardot, Brigitte	Actress who''s picture was on the Asher Empire when John Sullivan was a child
Barnes, Jake	A character in the book "The Sun always rises"
Big Brother and the Holding Company	Band mentioned in passing
Brannigan, Andy (Hedgehog)	In Vietnam. Saw Ronnie Malinfant after the war. Now a member of A.A. since giving up drinking
Brautigan, Theodore (Ted)	Lived upstairs from Bobby Garfield in Harwich when John Sullivan was a child
Calley, William	In Vietnam
Cameron, James	Director of Titanic
Carey, Mariah	Singer mentioned in passing
Carpenters, The	Band mentioned in passing
Charlton, Mary Theresa	Latest girlfriend of Diffenbaker. Met John Sullivan at Pagano''s funeral, and saw the article about John''s death
Clemson, Ralph	He went nuts in Vietnam and was shot in the head by Sly Slocum in 1970
Conlan, Mrs	Woman who loved her flowers when John Sullivan was a child in Harwich
Conroy, ?	Psyciatrist of John Sullivan after he returned from Vietnam. He discusses John seeing Mamasan
Dark, Alvin	Baseball player. Bobby Garfield''s glove was an Alvin Dark brand
Dawson, Richard	Host of Family Feud
Dieffenbaker, ? (Deef)	In Vietnam. Spoke to John Sullivan at the funeral of Dick Pagano. A computer Salesman. Boyfriend of Mary Charlton. He took over in Vietnam after Packer was killed. Born about 1955
Doors, The	Band mentioned in passing
Durgin, ?	In Vietnam with John Sullivan. He ripped a waitress''s top off during a reunion in about 1994
Dylan, Bob	Singer mentioned in passing
Fowler, ?	In Vietnam with John Sullivan
Garfield, Elizabeth (Liz)	Mother of Bobby Garfield
Garfield, Robert (Bobby)	Childhood friend of John Sullivan in Harwich. Moved away in 1960
Gerber, Anita	Mother of Carol Gerber
Gerber, Carol	A friend of John Sullivan''s as a child. She and John dated for a while. Now a member of the Militant Students for Peace (MSP), and was involved in an explosion in Danvers that killed some students
God	Mentioned in passing
Godlow, Mrs	Ticket woman at the Asher Empire in Harwich
Haber, ?	One of the members of Bravo Two Two that got shot in the head in Vietnam. His name could have been Havers or Haber, or something like that
Hackermeyer, Andy	In Vietnam with John Sullivan
Harvey, Paul	Mentioned in passing
Havers, ?	One of the members of Bravo Two Two that got shot in the head in Vietnam. His name could have been Havers or Haber, or something like that
Hexley, ?	In Vietnam with John Sullivan
Hope, Bob	Entertainer that toured the troops in Vietnam
Jesus	Mentioned in passing
Jolsan, Al	Singer mentioned in passing
Landon, Michael	Actor that died of cancer
Linkletter, Art	Mentioned in passing
Loveless, Patty	Singer mentioned in passing
Malenfant, Ron (Ronnie)	In Vietnam. He murdered an innocent woman known as Mamasan while in Vietnam. Now a member of A A. Played hearts in Vietnam
Mamasan	The Vietnamese woman that haunts John Sullivan after he returns from Vietnam. He dies when she embraces him. She was stabbed and killed by Ron Malenfant
McGwire, Mark	Mentioned in passing
Medina, ?	In Vietnam
Mims, ?	Accidentally shot a little boy in the leg while in Vietnam
Mossberg, Arnie	Car dealer on the West Side of LA where John Sullivan parked his car when he went to Pagano''s funeral
Oliver, Norman	From the First Connecticut Bank and Trust. He arranged John Sullivan''s funeral
Packer, ?	Lieutenant that died after being shot in the face in Vietnam in 1970
Pagano, Dick (Pags)	Died of Pancreatic Cancer in 1999. He was in Vietnam with John Sullivan. He played the harmonica
Pagano, Mrs	Wife of Dick Pagano that was at the funeral
Peasley, Frank	In Vietnam with John Sullivan
Peasley, Mrs	Ex-wife of Frank Peasley. John Sullivan woke up next to her at a party and she had a broken nose
Peck, Scott	Mentioned in passing
Phair, Liz	Singer mentioned in passing
Rare Earth	Band liked by Sly Slocum
Robinson, Smokey	Singer mentioned in passing
Sedaka, Neil	Singer mentioned in passing
Shearman, William Robert (Bill or Willie)	1st Lieutenant that saved the life of John Sullivan in Vietnam. He was blinded in Dong Ha in 1970, but his sight got better slowly. He was in Bravo Two One
Simmons, Richard	Mentioned in passing
Slocum, Garrett (Sly)	In Vietnam, and shot and murdered Ralph Clemson. A big black man from Tulsa who hated harmonica music. Killed himself in 1986 in a car accident hitting a bridge at 70 miles an hour
Sly and the Family Stone	Band liked by Sly Slocum, and where has nickname came from
Springer, Jerry	TV Show host
Stewart, Martha	Mentioned in passing
Strait, George	Singer mentioned in passing
Strawberry Alarm Clock, The	A band that played a song "Incense and peppermints"
Sullivan, Ed	TV Show host
Sullivan, John L (Sully-John)	Badly injured in Vietnam and saved by William Shearman. He was the first lover of Carol Gerber, and now his Sullivan Chevrolet is a Gold Star dealer. Died of a heart attack after returning from Dick Pagano''s funeral. He owed the banks almost a million dollars when he died
Summer, Donna	Singer mentioned in passing
Supremes, The	Band mentioned in passing
Sweetser, Mrs	4th grade teacher.of John Sullivan
Tacklin, Mr	John Sullivan went to a new years eve part hosted by them and got drunk
Tacklin, Mrs	John Sullivan went to a new years eve part hosted by them and got drunk
Taylor, Chuck	Mentioned in passing
Taylor, Opie	Bobby Garfield had a spray of Opie Taylor freckles
Wollensky, ?	Died in Vietnam when shot in the throat in 1970. He was grabbed by Pagano, but his injuries were too severe