Liberation Day: Stories

Jerry (Jer) is teaching the narrator new vocabulary. The narrator, an old man, describes his experience in uneven, stilted language, as if he doesn’t have a full vocabulary yet. Jer calls the narrator “89” and teaches him words like “bastard,” “turd,” “creep,” “idiot,” “poor,” “freedom,” and “oppressor” (198-199). Jerry also teaches the narrator how to bellow loudly. Then, Jerry announces that it is time for the narrator’s first job, and he describes how important the narrator is for the mission. Jerry also tells the narrator that, throughout the job the next day, his name will be “Greg” (199).

Greg is taken to the job on a bus with several other people. He notices that there are several other Gregs in the group. At the job site, the group is given colorful clothes to replace their identical green outfits. Their supervisors then instruct them to shout at a different group opposite them; they bellow the phrase “Bastardturdcreepidiot” (201), and police look on. Afterword, Greg and the others are rewarded for their efforts with root beer.

The next day, Greg and the others are taken to a different job site, where a similar event occurs. This time, however, a physical confrontation occurs and results in several members of Greg’s group brutally beating a member of the opposition.