Mercy Among the Children

The children are lonely, and both dream of dating. Autumn has crossed all the boys off her list, as they bully her. Lyle wants to approach Penny Porier and waits for Sadie Hawkins Day, when the girls ask the boys out. Jay Beard guards the family with his revolver. Lyle wishes that Sydney would die, and Jay would become his father.

On Sadie Hawkins Day, Griffin Porier stabs Lyle in the arm with a compass point. Lyle prices a divide between the Rhodes scholars, who became middle management, and the majority of his uneducated community. Jay Beard brings the family groceries, and Lyle becomes more aware of his place within history.

Lyle goes to school with dreams of redeeming his family and writes an essay about industrialization. Arriving at his desk after lunch, Lyle finds his essay has been torn to shreds and made into paper airplanes. Griffin Porier leans on Autumn as though she were a post. The boys fight, and Griffin breaks Lyle’s nose. Griffin accidentally knocks Autumn to the ground, and Lyle wins the fight, realizing he is the stronger. The Henderson children walk home, and drunks bait Sydney all night. Jay Beard chases them away with his pistol.