King and the Dragonflies

King is afraid to tell anyone that he saw Sandy by the bayou before he went missing because Sandy’s father is Sheriff Sanders. He fears what could happen to him if the sheriff thinks he had something to do with Sandy’s disappearance. King recalls how the sheriff “would scowl something fierce” when he saw Sandy and him talking back when they were friends. He feels guilty about being afraid to say anything because he knows he may have been the last person to see Sandy before he went missing (55).

When news about Sandy’s disappearance comes on the car radio, King’s father says it’s terrible. However, King wonders if his father would think Sandy’s disappearance was terrible news if he knew Sandy was gay. He recalls his father saying it is “wrong” and “unnatural” to be gay (56), especially for Black people. “If a Black person is ever gay, it’s because they’ve been around white people too much” (57), his father said.

The sheriff holds a news conference and organizes a search party to look for his youngest son. King and his classmates—Jasmine, Camille, and Darrell—participate in the search. Jasmine is angry at King when she finds out he told Camille and Darrell that Sandy is gay.