The Wild Man

Introduction

“The Wild Man” is about 2450 words. Weary McGrew, the Whale, and Steve devise a scheme to stir up excitement in Millfordville by creating a “wild man” terrorizing the countryside. The resulting chaos leads to unexpected and humorous consequences for everyone involved.

Summary

In “The Wild Man,” Weary McGrew, the Whale, and Steve are lounging in their usual hangout spot, a large tree by the river, when Weary proposes a prank to liven things up. Weary suggests that one of them dress up as a wild caveman and terrorize the local countryside. After some discussion, the Whale is reluctantly chosen for the role due to his size and appearance.

The Whale is dressed in a bearskin rug, face paint, and armed with a large club. Initially hesitant, the Whale agrees to the plan on the condition that Steve and Weary will help him if things go wrong. The Whale’s parents are told he has gone camping with the Boy Scouts to avoid suspicion.

The trio then learns that a group of young people is having a picnic nearby. Weary and Steve convince the Whale to make his first appearance there, despite the Whale’s reluctance to confront the girls. Steve grabs the Whale’s clothes and runs towards the picnic, with the Whale in pursuit, inadvertently scaring the picnickers with his wild appearance. The picnic descends into chaos as the Whale crashes into the gathering, terrifying the attendees and sending them fleeing.

After the picnic, the Whale, Weary, and Steve return to their hangout, where they eat the leftover picnic food. The Whale, despite his initial reluctance and the chaos caused, grudgingly admits the prank was somewhat enjoyable but insists that next time, Weary should be the caveman.

Characters

  • Weary McGrew: The instigator of the prank, Weary is a crafty and persuasive character who enjoys stirring up trouble for amusement.
  • William Aloysius “The Whale” McGraw: A large, somewhat reluctant participant in the prank, known for his size and strength. He eventually embraces his role as the wild man but prefers not to repeat the experience.
  • Stephen (Steve) O’Sullivan Bender: The narrator and a willing accomplice in Weary’s schemes. He supports the prank and helps push the Whale into action.

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