My name is Betsy May Althorn and I am seventeen. My date of birth is 27 June 1940 and I was born and live in Seefas Massachusetts with my parents. I work at the Seefas Diner on the road between Seefas and St Kits. (Is that ok sir oh just keep on going ok?)

On 14 March 1957 I was dropped off at the diner by my Poppa who was going to work at the Alachua Mill at St Kits he starts at two so he drops me off as I start at 1am and work to 12 noon.

When I got to the diner things were as usual Harriet checked out the register to me and I got my apron on then she left. Place was almost empty just a truck driver finishing ham and eggs and a gentleman sitting at the end of the counter with a coffee. (Did I notice anything about him? Not really cept he was wearing a white hat and jacket which was kind of odd cos mostly we don't see them clothes till the summer time. Did I know him no Sir he was a stranger to me never seen him before.)

Anyway I was just wiping the counter when I heard a motor bike pull in. The trucker had just finished paid and left. The door opened and it was Billy Bob Thornton. (Yes Sir I know Billy Bob, no he is not a friend Sir I mean he is white and his Daddy owns the hardware shop so taint likely is it. No Sir I was not being sassy. Yes sir I will stick to the facts.)

Well Billy Bob shouts that he wants a strawberry shake and sits down. So I make it and take it over. As I put it down he grips my wrist real hard and he is a strong boy Quarter back in the football team and nasty with it. (Sorry sir I wont says any more opinions.)

So I says to him to let go and he takes my other wrist and stands up. Then he pulls me too him and I could smell liquour on him. (Yes Sir I know he is 17 like me but he was liquored up.) So I says let me go Billy you are drunk. Then he says well he says I never kissed a black girl lets see what its like. I was afraid then Sir. Then the man at the counter spoke I had forgot all about him as he was so quiet. Let her go Boy that's what he said all quiet like I knew he was not from round here when he spoke not local his voice. Billy Bob sort of pushed me away and turned to where the stranger was. The man swung round on his stool and it was so quiet you could hear the metal scrape. Now Billy Bob was angry cos his face was getting red and he had balled his fists. He moved across the room and the stranger climbed off the stool and walked towards him. I went behind the counter real quick cos my Daddy say when two white men start fighting you disappear fast like.

(What was he like?) Well the stranger was smaller than Billy Bob but it was hard to tell cos he had those Cuban heels people used to wear. He had white boots and a shabby sort of creased up white suit looked as if he had slept in it. Had a shoestring tie and a white shirt. His hat was turned down at the front and back. He wasn't a big man the suit seemed to hang on him a bit. (His face sir) Well he was pale like he had been ill and had big spectacles tortoiseshell I think. Any way Billy was getting close and he tells the stranger that this all aint any of his business. Then the oddest thing happened the Stranger starts to smile I mean a big big smile like its too big for his face. It seems like his mouth and gums is goin shoot right out. I can see his teeth and they looked bad (Well sir I am hoping to go to beauty school next fall and I notice sort of faces and hands and stuff) How bad well all a yellow like he chewed tobacco a lot and broken with bits of gold guess they are caps. Any way he says that Billy is his business and then opens up his jacket and reaches in. I thought maybe this is like one of those shows where they present the Publishers House Cheque and everyone whoops and hollers. But taint no cheque it's a real big revolver all chrome and silver and with a white handle and all. Sort of thing people get awarded but he was not awarding it to Billy Bob he was just a pointing it at his face. (How did I know it was a big revolver well my Daddy has a little gun for protection and he told me it was a revolver Sir)

So Billy Bob was really surprised and I could see he was frightened too. I mean it was 1.30 am in a near empty diner stranger could have killed us both and just skedaddled.

Then he says slow and sort of raspy I think this young lady deserves an apology Boy. He says the word boy real harsh like. So Billy turns and looks at me and says low like sorry. Then the man he stops smiling so much and says that aint enuff and maybe if he went down on his knees in front of me and say sorry that might be sufficient. Then he tells me to come out. Well I was so scared now. But I come out and Billy Bob gets down on his knees and looks up at me and he is so angry I can see the hate in his eyes as he looks up at me. The stranger comes up behind him standing real close. That's when I smelt it real odd smell. ( What Sir well it was like vegetables when they've been left and there was a sweet smell too like hyacinths oh and well old peoples smell you know sir when they don't clean up proper after the toilet.) Well Billy Bob looks at me and says he's real sorry. Then the man he smiles again and I know this sounds crazy but he looked thinner, his face more like shrunken and paler. Then he says now girl you raise your right foot and you Boy you lick the sole of her shoe. Well now I was so frightened but I did it cos I guessed this man was like an escaped lunatic and we were all going to be dead real soon. Billy Bob tensed up now and looked at my shoe and says no sir I will not. Then the stranger he clicks back the hammer on that big old revolver, one click, two clicks then all the way back to three clicks and I know that's what my Daddy calls a hair trigger that one touch and it will fire. But Billy Bob looks sort of confident suddenly and he sort of half turns his head to look at the man and says you don't have the. But never gets to say that last word becos there is such an explosion rang round the diner. I smell burning hair cos the end of the barrel is so close to Billy Bob's curly fair hair and then his brains and bones and one of his eyes and his face is all over the floor. Bits splash up on my shoes and stockings and apron. He jumps forward and twitches then lies there all blood and stuff pouring out.

I just stood there looking at him lying there dead. Then the stranger he looks at the gun barrel and blows down it to clear the fumes. His lips are all cracked and thin and he looks thinner. I swear that he had like hair at the back of his hat but its gone yes sir I know that's crazy but it was gone.

Then he puts the gun back into the shoulder holster and fastens it in all neat and careful. Then he buttons up his coat and walks towards the door. He stops and rubs his palms together and its like at school when a teacher had cleaned the board sort of chalk comes off them When he gets to the door he turns a little and asks me the time so I turn and say is ten minutes till 2am. When I look back from the clock the screen door is swinging and he's gone.

Well I stood a few minutes then I take table cloth and I throw it over Billy but the blood and all just seeps straight through. Then I phone you gentlemen and tell you that one white man has shot another and you ask me who and which way he went and what type of car he had. Well I don't know. Then you come and say you sent cars up from Seefas and St Kits but he must have been so fast he slipped through though there are no turnings save the one into the diner.

No Sir that's all I got to say and no sir that man was a total stranger to me he surely was.

That was ten years ago. I never got to beauty school got pregnant and married Hank instead, got three fine children now. I still work nights at the diner. Well nothing much ever happens cept that one time.