Sonny Joiner
Biography
Barbara recalls that he liked to peek at them through the bathroom window and that Daddy would chase him through the orchard with a shotgun full of salt. Same age as the narrator. Described as having no dad and living with his working mother in a tiny house next door to the Smiths. Appears on the right side of the gate in a camp picture in Bob’s chapter. Girls accused him of peeping, but the narrator says he never witnessed peeping and doubted the accusations. His mother said he had surgery for an undescended testicle, with fresh stitches, on the day the narrator punched him. The narrator says their friendship was lost.
Timeline
date not given
Sonny Joiner chased through the orchard
Barbara recalls that Sonny liked to peek at them through the bathroom window and that Daddy would chase him through the orchard with a shotgun full of salt.
Barbara's ChapterLate fall, at twilight, when the narrator was twelve or thirteen
Bernard chases and punches Sonny
After a girl, probably Carol, yelled that Sonny was peeping, Bernard caught Sonny running away and punched his shoulder. He stopped when Sonny cried and he felt overwhelming remorse. He did not strike Sonny in the face despite a vaguely remembered bystander’s urging.
Bernie's ChapterThe same day Bernard chased and punched him
Sonny undergoes surgery
According to Sonny’s mother, Sonny had an operation on an undescended testicle and had fresh stitches.
Bernie's ChapterA few days after the fight
A warning that stayed with Bernard
While Bernard was playing Kick The Can, Sonny’s mother came to the fence and told him about Sonny’s surgery, warning that he could have seriously hurt Sonny. Bernard did not answer her and says he never struck another person.
Bernie's Chapter
Stories mentioning Sonny
- A Chase Through the OrchardBarbara remembers Sonny Joiner peeking at them through the bathroom window. Daddy would chase him through the orchard with a shotgun full of salt.
- A Lost Friendship and a Lifelong LessonBernard remembers Sonny Joiner as a giggling childhood friend living with his working mother. Although Bernard doubted accusations that Sonny watched girls bathing, he chased and punched Sonny after another accusation one late-fall evening. Sonny cried without resisting, and Bernard immediately stopped in remorse. A few days later, Sonny’s mother told Bernard that Sonny had undergone surgery that very day and had fresh stitches. Bernard says the lost friendship and her warning haunted him, and he never struck anyone again.
Referenced in
Family corrections
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