Alabama Moon

Hal and Mr. Mitchell take Moon to their mobile home outside a town called Union. On the way, Hal relates how he followed the creek out of the woods to a road and got a ride with a man who was “pretty jumpy about all those dogs crammed in his car” (178). They stop the truck to have Spam sandwiches for lunch. Once at the trailer, Moon showers and Hal shaves Moon’s hair off due to bugs and, as Moon says, “[s]pring’s about here anyway” (180). Moon asks about going for Pap’s rifle and calling Kit at the hospital. Hal says he should wait on both counts. Moon admits to being afraid and feeling bad about Kit getting sick, but Hal says it was not Moon’s fault.

Hal tapes black garbage bags over the glassless window holes of the truck and takes Moon “muddin’” (182). This consists of speeding and fishtailing the truck around in the muddy bottom of the clay pit near the trailer. Moon says it is “the most fun” he ever experienced (183). When Mr. Mitchell awakes from his daily afternoon nap, he allows the boys to see his machine gun from Vietnam. He also allows Moon to fire it at bottles: “Make ‘em pay, Moon” (184). Mr. Mitchell comments on Moon’s excellent aim. Mr. Mitchell and Hal ask about Moon’s Alaska plans, and Moon tells them he no longer cares where he settles as long as he is not alone. After bedtime, Moon wants to talk and he mentions to Hal that Pap was “wrong about “a lot of things” and “didn’t seem like he cared if he died” (188). Hal promises they will look at his chainsaw in the morning if Moon will just go to sleep.

Moon is up at sunrise. Hal wants to sleep more, so Moon finds Mr. Mitchell at the clay pit. Mr. Mitchell wonders why Moon’s pap wanted to live all alone. When Moon mentions Mr. Abroscotto, Mr. Mitchell suggests he might know something about Pap. When Hal joins them, he tells his father he and Moon are going to use the chainsaw to cut some trees. Hal and Moon work till noon, then Moon asks Hal about his pap, why do you think my pap made me live like he did? Hal has no answers for Moon. That night Moon writes a letter to Pap, admitting he does not plan to go to Alaska and does not want to live alone. He asks Pap why they had to live alone without friends but tells Pap he is not angry about it. Hal tells Moon he can burn the letter on the stove.

Hal plans to go to the Laundromat while Moon goes to his old shelter to gather things. First Moon collects the wheelbarrow from near the bridge. Then Hal drops Moon off on the roadside where he will walk into the woods to get to his shelter. At the shelter, everything is disturbed and thrown about, but the rifle is in its hiding place. On a whim, Moon decides to walk to Mr. Abroscotto’s store.

Mr. Abroscotto is surprised to see Moon. He says Sanders comes twice a week to ask about Moon. Mr. Abroscotto tells Moon that his parents used to come into trade for supplies with Moon in a burlap sack like a papoose. After Caroline, Moon’s mother, died, Oliver came into the store. Oliver talked about how the war caused him to have no need of material possessions. Mr. Abroscotto assumed he meant the Vietnam War.

Mr. Abroscotto suggests that Moon needs help, but Moon does not like hearing that. He grabs the rifle to leave, and Mr. Abroscotto panics and drops beneath the counter. Moon tells him he is not his friend if he thinks Moon would shoot him. Mr. Abroscotto says, “I’m sorry […] It’s just that the news—” (202). Moon leaves. Hal picks Moon up and Moon tells him to speed away because Mr. Abroscotto might be calling Sanders. Moon tells Hal he wants to try to call Kit.

Hal and Moon stop at a pay phone at a store. Moon does not know what to say except, “Is Kit there?” (204), so Hal takes the phone to ask with more details. Kit is resting and they cannot talk to him. Back at the trailer, Moon tells Mr. Mitchell that Mr. Abroscotto “said Pap got messed up by Vietnam” (206). Mr. Mitchell says, “I can see that. I didn’t take to it much myself” (206). He tries to explain that many drafted citizens did not want to fight, and though all wars result in violence and death, the difference with Vietnam might be the added conflict between government and “people […]that didn’t wanna go” (206).

Later, Hal and Moon run the truck again. Moon says he wants a trailer deep in the woods. In his daydream, he is not alone because Hal is there too, but he soon realizes Hal has that kind of life already with his father. Hal tells Moon that he expects to be picked up and sent to Hellenweiler soon. Hal would rather be there than camping out in the woods. Moon realizes he, too, might prefer the home with Hal and others to a lonely life of freedom.

After three days of helping in the clay pit, Moon enjoys more racing in the truck with Hal. The next day, while going for engine oil, Moon asks to call Kit again. This time the person who answers wants Moon’s name, saying Constable Sanders asked to know who calls for Kit. Moon hangs up and, afraid for Kit, determines he will walk to the hospital in Tuscaloosa. Hal realizes Moon is serious and agrees to drive him.

Hal warns Moon not to stay in the hospital too long. Kit is excited to see Moon. Kit tells Moon how much he loved being in the woods, and Moon repeats while crying that he won’t go to Alaska or anywhere without Kit: “I thought we’d be like brothers. We’d live out there together […] You’re my best friend, Kit. I’ve never had a best friend except for Pap” (216). They agree on Moon’s plan to someday have a trailer in the woods far from any towns or roads, kill their own food, and make deerskin clothes. They realize they must wait eight years for that kind of freedom from the system but shake on the deal. Moon feels doom and despair as he leaves the room, thinking about the loneliness he will face in the meantime if Hal goes to Hellenweiler and if Kit returns to Pinson. When Moon turns the corner, Sanders grabs him.

Sanders handcuffs and hogties Moon to carry him from the hospital despite the reporters outside. Once they are in Sanders’s car, he threatens to teach Moon fear. Moon accuses Sanders of lying. Sanders wants his pistol back, but Moon refuses to say where it is and he claims he doesn’t care what Sanders does to him. Sanders threatens to hurt Kit, and Moon knows he must pretend to comply. He tells Sanders the pistol is at his old shelter.

Sanders attaches a dog collar and leash to Moon’s neck. He makes Moon carry a canteen of water but won’t give him any. Sanders struggles and needs to rest often. Moon feels weary and despondent, and the forest offers no help or ideas for him. When they arrive, Moon admits the pistol is not there; Sanders rages, and Moon thinks Sanders will kill him. Suddenly, Mr. Wellington appears and demands to know what Sanders is doing. Sanders tells him to go away and not obstruct justice. Mr. Wellington refuses. Sanders drops the leash, enraged: “You wanna play who’s who in Sumter County?” (226). Moon flees into the woods. He stops after an unknown time and distance, lost and despairing.

Once darkness falls, Moon uses the stars to navigate back to Wellington’s lodge. He wants to turn himself in and return to jail. Wellington agrees, but first, he wants to help Moon. He says he feel responsible because he did not help Moon before, and that Sanders is a man with “problems” (228). He asks Moon many questions about Sanders, the dogs, Kit, and the pistol. He tells Moon to let him help; Moon says he doesn’t care.