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Description: Written by Richard
Bachman. The story of 40 year old Barton Dawes is fairly normal, up to the point when the city council
decide to extend the 784 Freeway. In order to do this they have to demolish a few buildings - his house
and workplace are both scheduled to be torn down.
He is put in charge of finding a new place to set up the Blue Ribbon Laundry,
but he is inspired by anger, and as a protest, he decided to lie to his employers and does not find a
new building in time. Barton loses his job, then his wife and still faces being kicked out of his house
on January 20th.
He cracks under the strain and decided to take action against the council
by buying explosives and guns. An unstable man and explosives lead to a real blast of an ending!
Published: Signet, 1981
Dedication: In memory of Charlotte
Littlefield Proverbs 31:10-28
Characters:
| ?, Alan |
Sold Barton the explosives. Worked for Sal Magliore |
| ?, Andy |
Nephew of Barton Dawes. Son of Bea. 12 Years Old. |
| ?, Bea |
Mother of Andy |
| ?, Belly |
On a TV show seen by Barton Dawes in Duncan's bar |
| ?, Bill |
Nephew of Barton Dawes |
| ?, Cindy |
Niece of Barton Dawes |
| ?, Duncan |
Owned Duncan's bar |
| ?, Gayle |
Worked at Nicky's Diner |
| ?, Hank |
On a TV show seen by Barton Dawes in Duncan's bar |
| ?, Jeff |
Lover of Olivia Brenner and drug user. |
| ?, Phyllis |
Barton Dawes Secretary in the Blue Ribbon Laundry |
| ?, Ray |
Sold Barton the explosives. Worked for Sal Magliore |
| ?, Rhonda |
Worked in the Blue Ribbon Laundry |
| ?, Sharon |
On a TV show seen by Barton Dawes in Duncan's bar |
| ?, Sharon |
While the travelling salesman was making love with Olivia Brenner he kept saying this name. |
| ?, Sylvia |
Niece of Barton Dawes. 11 year old |
| ?, Tina |
Niece of Barton Dawes |
| Adams, Nicholas |
Made up psychiatrist name that Barton Dawes gave to his wife |
| Adams, Nicholas Frederick |
Made up "cousin" of Barton Dawes that he gave as the name of the person he bought the guns
for. |
| Agar, John |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Albert, ? |
Wife of Hank Albert. Died of Emphysema. |
| Albert, Dave |
Reporter that did a story on the 784 freeway extension. Ended up talking to Barton Dawes just before
he blew up the house. Won a Pulitzer prize for the story. |
| Albert, Hank |
Ex-Neighbour of Barton Dawes. Moved to Waterford when his house was knocked down due to freeway extension |
| Albertson, Ralph |
Boss of laundry operations in 1953 when Barton Dawes started at the Blue Ribbon Laundry. Died of
a heart attack. |
| Alexander, Ben |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Andrea |
Mr Piazzi's dog that bit Louigi Bronticelli an put him in hospital. Was then put down. |
| Arlin, ? |
Neighbours of Barton Hughes that has to move because of the freeway extension. |
| Barry, Jack |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Ben-Gurion, David |
Mentioned in passing |
| Bogart, Humphrey |
Actor mentioned in passing |
| Boone, Richard |
Character in "I bury the living" |
| Boyd, Malcolm |
Mentioned in passing |
| Brenner, Olivia |
Hitchhiker that Barton Dawes picked up and had sex with. Born in Portland, Maine she was going to
Las Vegas. 21 Years Old. |
| Brolin, James |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Bronticelli, Luigi |
Bitten by Andrea and had 37 stitches in his neck, and can not talk above a whisper. Runs a barbershop
in Manhatten. |
| Cagney, Jimmy |
Actor mentioned in passing |
| Calloway, Jean |
Mary Calloway's mother and wife of Lester |
| Calloway, Lester |
Mary Calloway's father and husband of Jean. |
| Calloway, Mary |
Daughter of Lester and Jean. Maiden name of Mary Dawes |
| Carlisle, Kitty |
On TV show "To tell the truth" |
| Carter, Meg |
Friend of Mary Dawes |
| Cavett, Dick |
Mentioned in passing |
| Chalmers, Henry |
Was plant foreman that paid Barton Dawes $50 for paneling his living room walls. |
| Chamberlain, Wilt |
Mentioned in passing |
| Chancellor, John |
Mentioned in passing |
| Child, Julia |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Cocker, Andy |
Chargers player |
| Cosell, Howard |
Mentioned in passing |
| Crawford, Broderick |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Cronkite, Walter |
TV personality Mentioned in passing |
| Cullen, Bill |
On TV show "To tell the truth" |
| Dahl, Arlene |
On TV show "To tell the truth" |
| Dankman, ? |
Neighbours of Barton Dawes |
| Darby, ? |
Neighbours of Barton Dawes until they moved because of the extensions. |
| Davis, Gary |
Blues singer mentioned in passing |
| Dawes, Barton George (Bart) |
Husband of Mary Dawes that runs the Blue Ribbon Laundry. He slowly looses his mind when his home
and workplace are to be knocked down for a freeway extension. He plans his revenge on all involved. Started
in the laundry in 1953 at 20 y.o. His degree was paid for by the Blue Ribbon's owner Ray Tarkington. |
| Dawes, Charles Frederick |
Son of Barton. Died of a brain tumour. |
| Dawes, Fred |
Barton Dawes second personality that has "conversations" with him at times. Charles Dawes'
second name is Frederick, and his son and him had been nicknamed Fred and George. |
| Dawes, Mary |
Wife of Barton Dawes. Married name of Mary Calloway. |
| Dawes, Ralph |
Barton's father. Died of a stroke. |
| De Haviland, Olivia |
Mentioned in passing |
| Devine, Andy |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Diment, Ethel |
Worked at the Blue Ribbon Laundry. She burnt the shirts. |
| Drake, Phil |
At Wally Hamner's party. A street Priest from Russell that helps street kids. Helped Barton Dawes
get back home after he took drugs on new years eve. |
| Eastwood, Clint |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Elliot, T S |
Author mentioned in passing |
| Fednach, Hugh |
Mustang player |
| Fenner, Phillip T |
Lawyer for the city council. Threatened Barton Dawes with information about his one-time lover Olivia
Brenner. Lives in Greenwood. |
| Floyd, Gracie |
Worked at the Blue Ribbon laundry and a cousin of Maureen. |
| Floyd, Maureen |
Worked at the Blue Ribbon laundry and a cousin of Gracie. |
| Fontain, Dr |
Doctor Mentioned in passing |
| Fort, Charles |
Author |
| Gibbs, Ethel |
Worked in the Blue Ribbon Laundry. Burnt some shirt collars |
| Gordon, Jack |
Friends of the Dawes |
| Granger, Tom |
Worked in the Blue Ribbon Laundry. Husband of Verna Granger. |
| Granger, Verna |
Tom Granger's wife. |
| Griffen, Merv |
TV personality Mentioned in passing |
| Haggard, H Rider |
Wrote "She" |
| Hamner, Walter |
Friend of Barton Dawes that had a new year's eve party where Barton got stoned. Works for a local
advertising agency. |
| Harvey, Paul |
Mentioned in passing |
| Hobart, Ellen |
Wife of Jack Hobart. Her mother died of cancer. Works at a bank. |
| Hobart, Jack |
Friend of Barton Dawes and husband of Ellen Hobart. Moved to Northside as their house was demolished
for freeway extension. |
| Hobart, Linda |
Daughter of Jack and Ellen. Used to babysit Charlie Dawes. |
| Holt, Victoria |
Author Mentioned in passing |
| Homer, Winslow |
Painter. Barton Dawes had one of his paintings in the wall. |
| Hope, Bob |
Mentioned in passing |
| Howard, Tina |
At Wally Hamner's party. Maiden name of Tina Wallace. |
| Jackson, ? |
Red headed wife of Dick. Was sick at Wally Hamner's party. |
| Jackson, Dick |
At Wally Hamner's party. Used to live near Barton Dawes, but moved to Willowood |
| Jagger, Mick |
Singer |
| Janssen, David |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| John, Elton |
Singer Mentioned in passing |
| Jones, Harry |
Worked at the Blue Ribbon Laundry |
| Keeson, Betty |
Broke her arm in the Blue Ribbon Laundry in an accident. Her medical bills and living money was paid
by the owners at the time. |
| Keller, Dick |
Neighbour of Barton Dawes that helped move their first TV into their house. |
| Kennedy, Robert |
Mentioned in passing |
| King, Henry |
Police Lieutenant that spoke about the damage to the equipment used on the freeway extensions. |
| King, Martin Luther |
Mentioned in passing |
| Knauer, Virginia |
On Television advertisement to save energy |
| Koerner, Spider John |
Blues singer mentioned in passing |
| Lane, Francis |
Owned company that did some work on the extension |
| Lang, Alicia |
Ex-Neighbour of Barton Hughes and wife of Tony Lang. Moved to Minnesota |
| Lang, Tony |
Ex-Neighbour of Barton Hughes. Husband of Alicia |
| Linkletter, Art |
Sold Insurance and is very Anti-drugs |
| Lombardo, Guy |
Actor mentioned in passing |
| Lovecraft, H P |
Author mentioned in passing |
| MacKenzie, Gisele |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Maddox, Lester |
Mentioned in passing |
| Madison, Guy |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Magliore, Salvatore (Sally one-eye) |
Crook that sells cars. Barton Dawes went to him to buy explosives but was refused. |
| Mahoney, Jock |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Mansey, Pete |
Worked at Magliore's used cars |
| March, Hal |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Mason, Roberta (Bobby) |
Daughter of Sharon and Vinnie |
| Mason, Sharon |
Vinnie Mason's wife and mother of Roberta |
| Mason, Vincent (Vinnie) |
Worked in the Blue Ribbon Laundry. Husband of Sharon and father of Roberta. He went to work managing
a movie theatre after he lost his job when the Blue Ribbon closed. Punched Barton Dawes. |
| McAn, Thom |
Owned a shoe company. |
| Millard, Ray |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Milner, Marty |
Actor mentioned in passing |
| Monohan, Patrick J |
Real estate agent that was selling a new location in Waterford to the Blue Ribbon Laundry. |
| Moore, Garry |
On TV show "To tell the truth" |
| Naish, Donald P |
Democratic candidate that died |
| Narz, Jack |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Newman, Paul |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Nixon, Richard |
Politician mentioned in passing |
| Ordner, Carla |
Wife of Stephan |
| Ordner, Stephan (Steve) |
Manager of Amroco, the company that owned the Blue Ribbon Laundry. |
| Passos, Dos |
The "Original Gonzo" journalist according to Jeff, Olivia Brenner's lover. |
| Paxton, Tom |
Blues singer mentioned in passing |
| Petty, Richard |
Mentioned in passing |
| Piazzi, Mr |
Acquaintance of Salvatore Magliore as a child. He owned the dog Andrea. |
| Pollack, Steve |
Worked in the Blue Ribbon Laundry. A college dropout |
| Powers, Francis Gary |
Shot down in a U2 fighter. Mentioned in passing |
| Preston, Bob |
Friends of Mary Dawes |
| Preston, Janet |
Friends of Mary Dawes |
| Pym, Gordon |
Author mentioned in passing |
| Queen, Ellery |
Mystery writer. |
| Quinn, ? |
Neighbour of Barton Dawes. |
| Radner, Dave |
Ran the washroom in the Blue Ribbon Laundry. |
| Rennie, Michael |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Reston, Muriel |
State representative that was Mentioned in passing |
| Ricker, Mrs |
Charlie Dawes nursery school teacher |
| Ridpath, ? |
Friends of Barton Dawes that had a new years eve party in about 1955 |
| Ronk, Van |
Blues singer mentioned in passing |
| Rucker, Hank |
Mustang Boss |
| Rush, Tom |
Blues singer mentioned in passing |
| Sales, Soupy |
On TV show "To tell the truth" |
| Stauffer, Bill |
Neighbour of Barton Dawes. He drove his car through a fence and into a pool. |
| StClare, Joanna |
Jean Calloway's cousin in Minnesota. Had a stroke in July 1973. |
| Stone, Ron (Stoneballs) |
Laundry Foreman at the Blue Ribbon Laundry |
| Swinnerton, Harold (Harry) |
Owner of Harvey's Gun Shop since his brother Harvey died. |
| Swinnerton, Harvey |
Was the owner of Harvey's Gun shop until his death 8 years ago. Brother of Harold. |
| Tarkington, Don |
Father of Ray. Owned the Blue Ribbon Laundry before he died in 1959. He started the Laundry in 1926
and ran it with his son Ray. |
| Tarkington, Ray |
Son of Ray. Owned the Blue Ribbon Laundry until he sold it to Amroco. |
| Tremont, Ralph |
Barton did some work for him to get money for a TV |
| Truman, Walter |
Mentioned in passing |
| Tucker, Forest |
Character on the TV show F-Troop |
| Upshaw, Donna |
Friend of Mary Dawes |
| Upslinger, Don |
Father of Kenny Upslinger. Moved to Iowa after their house was to be demolished because of freeway
extension. |
| Upslinger, Kenny |
Delivered papers to the Dawes' area. |
| Upslinger, Wilbur |
Neighbour of Barton Dawes in the final chapters. Maybe this was supposed to be Don Upslinger? |
| Von Sydow, Max |
Actor mentioned in passing |
| Vonnegut, Kurt |
Wrote "Slaughterhouse Fire". Some of his books were burned in a public demonstration in
Drake, North Dakota. |
| Walker, Arnie |
Corey's brother - killed himself using the car exhaust. He drove a sanitation truck. |
| Walker, Corey Everett (Johnny) |
Driver of laundry van for the Blue Ribbon Laundry since 1946. He had an accident when delivering
a load of sheets and was killed in 1973. |
| Wallace, Tina |
Married name of Tina Howard |
| Wasserman, Peter |
In charge of deliveries at the Blue Ribbon Laundry |
| Welby, Marcus |
Actor Mentioned in passing |
| Wicker, Tom |
Wrote "Facing the Lions" |
| Widmark, Richard |
Actor mentioned in passing |
| Wilkenson, Bud |
On energy saving commercial on TV for Exxon |
| Winterburger, Victor |
Democratic candidate |
| Young, Mrs |
Teacher at the nursery school that Charlie Dawes attended. |
| Younger, Dr |
Charlie Dawes Neurologist that told his parents about the brain tumour. |
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