The Season of Styx Malone

Bobby Gene slacks off during chore hour the next day because he is still angry at Caleb. Caleb does his and Bobby Gene’s share of the work and evades Cory’s questions. After lunch, Cory stays to play with Susie. Dad gets home and Mom leaves for work; when Styx arrives, Caleb wants to talk to him but cannot because Cory is still there. Styx knows their deal is in trouble: “We good? […] Or you bailing?” (196).

Dad suggests playing sports. He, Bobby Gene, and Styx throw the football while Caleb, who is not very athletic, sits on the porch with Cory and Susie. Cory mentions his uncle’s purchase of Harley-Davidson onesies for his new baby, and how he has a deal to mow his uncle’s grass once a week in exchange for time with the baby when he or she is born.

When Cory leaves, Dad and the boys play two-on-two basketball. Caleb and Styx make a team, and Styx is supportive whether Caleb makes his shots or not. As a result, Caleb thinks, “I had never hated basketball less” (198). Dad makes shish kabobs on the grill and calls it “A dinner among men” (198). They also eat s’mores like the bonfire night. Caleb recognizes that it was a wonderful day but he still feels very bad over the recent events.

Bobby Gene tries calling Pike’s Place Auto Parts. He stumbles over the greeting, and somehow the man, Pike, knows that Bobby Gene is one of the boys who stole from him. Bobby Gene hangs up. The brothers get into a terrible fight about following through versus doing the right thing. Finally, Caleb tells Bobby Gene that Styx is his (Caleb’s) only chance to be special. Bobby Gene tells Caleb that everyone is special in their way. Caleb goes to his top bunk, upset but still fixated on the promises Styx made. Bobby Gene tells Caleb he will not prevent him from following through on the deal with Styx.

The next morning, Caleb confronts Styx and wants an explanation for his lie about stealing the engine. He explains that Bobby Gene called Pike’s but hung up. Styx assumes they don’t want to hang out anymore, but they tell him they just want the truth. Styx explains that he lived with Mr. Pike for a while and left when he felt that Mr. Pike did not want him anymore. The boys insist they somehow make up for what they took from Mr. Pike, and Styx agrees, even though he still believes that Mr. Pike would have liked the lunchbox. Caleb tells Styx he may have figured out how to exchange the mower for the moped. They go to Cory’s house and Cory confirms that he plans to mow his uncle’s grass with his own mower for baby time. Caleb and Styx tell Cory that he’s doing all the work of two chores (babysitting and mowing) and that they can offer a better deal to his uncle: the riding mower in exchange for $500 worth of Harley-Davidson paraphernalia.

Cory, Caleb, Bobby Gene, and Styx first go the farm and replace the engine in the mower. It works. Cory leads the way to his uncle’s place with Styx driving the mower along the road. Cory’s uncle has a big lawn, and he readily agrees to trade his Harley-Davidson memorabilia for the mower. They agree to keep the bags of goods at the Franklin house; Styx lifts it into the boys’ bedroom window. They plan to go to trade for the moped the next day.

Mr. Pike shows up at the door of the Franklin house, having found the residence by Caller ID. The boys try to make rushed amends, but Dad sends them to their room while he talks to Mr. Pike. After Mr. Pike leaves, Mom and Dad are furious. They assume that Styx has a car. Dad begins to yell about never leaving Sutton, and Caleb tells him he wants to leave “this stupid, boring town” (222). Mom cuts off the argument by simply forbidding the boys from seeing Styx anymore.

Styx arrives at the Franklin house when the boys do not show up for the trade as planned. They tell him they are not allowed to hang out anymore because Mr. Pike came and revealed what they did. Mom calls for the boys to come in. Styx tells them, “Do what you want,” (225), but Caleb tries to tell him that his parents might relax in a few days. Styx says he is unwilling to wait around that long and begins to go; Caleb chases him. Mom calls Dad to go collect Caleb, and Styx stomps off alone. The boys are sent to their room and get dinner on a tray. The brothers head to Cory’s in the morning with orders to be home in an hour, but they turn toward Styx’s house once out of sight. They apologize, but Styx gives them a tough time for listening to their parents instead of following through. Caleb cannot stand to disappoint Styx, so he agrees to go to get the moped that day: “Be outside our window at one pm sharp” (291). He asks for a candy cigarette to punctuate his decision.

In the hardware store, Styx pitches the idea of the trade to Mr. Davis while they lay out all the Harley-Davidson goods: glasses, a vest, a roadside repair kit. Styx suggests that Mr. Davis give his son all the memorabilia as gifts. Caleb thinks Mr. Davis won’t make the trade, so he says, “I know what you want most […] I’m sorry you’re having a hard time with your son” (234). After a long pause, Mr. Davis makes the trade.

Styx and the boys fill the moped at the gas station and take it for a long ride. Styx goes the whole way to Mr. Pike’s, saying he wants to ask him how to make amends. When Mr. Pike is not home, Styx looks relieved and disappointed at the same time. Caleb loves the feeling of riding the moped. They agree to leave the moped in the woods near Styx’s house and to meet up the next day. Styx says he thinks Caleb and Bobby Gene are cool, “whatever happens” (240).

Bobby Gene and Caleb realize on their way home that their bikes are still at Styx’s house. They change direction to fetch them. Approaching the house, they see a Department of Child Services van in the drive and hear yelling. Styx runs out of the house with his backpack on and runs into the woods. Bobby Gene blocks the porch and obstructs the path of the adults trying to get out the door to follow Styx. Caleb takes off after Styx. When he catches up, Styx tells him, “You betrayed me” (242), then starts up the moped.

Caleb insists on going after Styx even though both he and Bobby Gene doubt they can catch up easily. They get on their bikes and chase Styx. They catch up to him only because Styx is in an accident; a man in a dark green pickup truck accidentally hits him. The moped is wrecked and Styx lies “twisted” on the ground, bloodied and only half-conscious. The frantic driver of the pickup truck calls for an ambulance. Bobby Gene and Caleb wait with Styx; Caleb takes his hand and implores him not to die.