Still Can't See Nothin' Comin' Pages 262-326

Summary:
In her diary it stated that the night before she died her father has raped her once again. He raped her almost everyday for 3 years. At that time his father, mother and brother had returned home. Enraged with what he had discovered Jim confronted his father about it. His mother got upset and smacks him so he punched her in her face. His father than ran towards him but Jim checked into a violent rage and began beating his father for all the times he had beaten him in the past, and all the time he had hit his sister, and all the time he has raped his sister. The mother than called the cops and Jim left, the first place he headed was to Leslie’s house until morning. When he arrived at Leslie’s house they had relations but Jim was going threw withdrawals and ended up drinking a brand new bottle of cough medicine. Realizing that he would hurt Leslie he left and returned to Philly’s house.

When Jim arrived to the house Jeremy said that they should rob Sunshine’s. Of course Philly and Jim was against the idea but at the end they decided to rob it only if Charlie wasn’t there. March 12, 1992 they walked to Sunshines and seen a guy packing cans of soup and no one else. Jeremy was the first to pull out his gun and he placed it at the man who turned out to be Charlie. Stunned Charlie did not move a mussel and Jeremy was threatening to shot him. Afraid that Jeremy would shoot Charlie, Jim pulled out his gun and aimed it at Jeremy. The two of the began to argue back and forth when Philly entered the store. He meant to hit the roof but something happened and the bullet hit Charlie. Jeremy immediately left with the guns while Philly and Jim stayed back and tried to help Charlie. The thought that kept running threw Jeremy head was that the little boy who loved them and admired them would die because of them and it killed him inside.

Jim left shortly after that unaware that they cops were called and were arriving when he was leaving. They told him to freeze but he immediately began running with the gun still in his hand. The cops had given up chasing him on foot and he began running towards the bridge where his sister had died. He was running by the bridge and twisted his ankle in a ditch. He feels and laid there for he was too tired to get up. The cops finally caught up with him and the ambulance was called placing Jim upon a stretcher. In the hospital Sarah (the nice cop from before) was waiting to have a word with him. She apologized for what happened and knew she could have prevented it. They were going to lock him up before but she wouldn’t let them. She said he wasn’t capable of committing a crime.

The story then flashed forward to August 1992. Before Jim would leave for court he and Leslie had relations for the last time. They knew it would be a long time before they could hug or even kiss so they took advantage. In the morning Jim hugged Billy and he told him how much he loved him and how terrific of a kid he was. As the cops pulled him away no one was crying. At this point in his life Jim had realized why his sister died, and he had realized that he still couldn’t see nothin’ comin’ and he had to forgive himself for the wrong he had done and forgive all the wrong that was done towards him so he can be a man. He finally took responsibility for the life that was giving to him and he left with the cops as gentlemen would with the utmost respect. He had finally become a man.

Quotation:
" Leslie and I weren't crying, though. We were remembering, and hoping ( Marshall 322).

Reflection:

In this quote you can see that Jim grew up. He understood what was going on and accepted it. He was only remembering the good and bad times that had occurred in his live and he was hoping that he may began a new life where he was in control of everything. He was a man now and was determined to make the best out of any situation that was handed to him.

Jim lived a very difficult life and unfortunately there are many storied in the world like his. The only difference is that Jim realized what he was doing with his life was wrong and he decided to change it. He realized that he was lost and he found himself the day he turned himself in. You can relate Jim situation to the situation of Drew Barrymore but she was not physically abused like Jim was. Although Jim made some terrible decisions he can still be looked upon as a role model because he was able to overcome the obstacles in his life and he became a man. When all hope was gone and all determination was relinquished he still realized that he could become something not only for him but for his siblings. I am very proud of Jim!