Country Dark

by Chris Offutt

Tucker turned his back on the man, knowing Chester was all hole and no coal, a mouthy man pushing gas.

There were two Kentuckys, east and west, dirt and blacktop. She straddled them through her work. Marvin had made his first step across the boundary and was already out of sorts.

Something existed in the hills he didn’t want to disturb. It scared him and the fear made him angry. He wondered what kind of people lived here.

“Let me tell you something. You ask yes-or-no questions and you won’t get anything. Folks around here don’t think that way. A yes-or-no question will make them think there’s a right answer and a wrong one. They won’t speak because they don’t want to make a mistake.” “How is being honest a mistake?” “When the asker has an agenda. The police do that. Teachers and doctors, too. Now you’re doing it. I don’t, and that’s why they trust me.

Jimmy drove, more irritated than ever. The way Tucker acted, he thought he was shit on a stick, and would be if he had a peg leg.

People don’t know they’re lucky till the bad luck comes along.”