(Spoken introduction) Billy Ballou was not the only person in our story having a hard time with life. I must relate now the story of Sally. She is about Billy's age but in a place far away from Mobile Bay, up north. Sally's story is difficult. Please be prepared. (music) There was an accident on the highway early on Sunday morning, just yesterday, not an interstate but a poor state road. We had talked about it being a bad stretch. I can hardly bring myself to tell this. She was pregnant and so they’re both gone now. My house creaks and bangs from the cold and wind. It was frozen hard like this yesterday. My Sis was driving fast and hit black ice on the curve near the Ace Hardware and slid flat sideways into an oncoming truck. He was carrying a load of white pine. On Saturday night late she had over a new guy she met in the bar in town, a mistake way past a few too many. He went about it in a rough mean way. “I want the cute young one too,” he said. “That’s my daughter,” Sis yelled. “Forget it, jerk!” But he forced Sally into the bathroom, locked the door tight, and took his pleasure. Come morning, Sis knew what she had to do. With her dead husband’s pistol beside her on the old pickup seat, she headed out to the place he was staying for the night. When she hit the ice she was likely thinking about where she should put the first bullet. Perhaps she was thinking between his legs. That is what I likely would be thinking. Sally said my Sis held her tight all night, told how she fought and got hit many times. She cried, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” Her mom finally found the gun and left. I have my gun but I have told the police. For now, I’ll give the cops a chance to act. I’ll take care of Sally as best I can. But I have so little to offer her. Sis should have gone to school but went to drugs. She straightened out became a good mother. She loved, protected and worked hard at it. But she had a weak spot for drink and men. I will miss her to the end of my days. But Sally, my God, how can I help her? How can we get beyond this awfulness and claim a small place of peace in this world?
