Chapter Three: "Answer"
(modified from an entry written 3 February 2006)

"The cider-tart odor of spoling apples. Apple trees and pear trees, peach and cherry: Mr. Clutter's orchard..."

What the hell!?! That's not my chapter three, that's part three from In Cold Blood. What am I thinking? Well, we finally saw Capote tonight, so that might be the half of it. Brilliant performance, but I can see how nominating bodies might not be too keen on giving this flick the nod. In it, Capote researches and he writes, he interviews and he writes, then...he basically just needs an ending. Turns out, the ending he hopes for ends up being the end of a new friend's life. Bummer. Note to self: don't fall in love with a guy that you also actively hope will die. And, for a movie about a guy looking for an ending? Let's just say you can sense his pain.

Returning to my chapter three, though. What to name it? "Stalemate?" We've come to the part of the listserv discussion in which the other party has declared "I've decided I don't really care anymore." But, I must add that this came as a result of a particularly astute observation on my part - one that was really needed and which it seems that we all had to collectively think through before one of us could voice. So, a lot of this comes down to collective antagonistic collaborative composition ("Hello Retoric and Composition Quarterly? I have an article you might like...").

But, part of it also comes down to "winning" in an argument (whatever that would be in this situation). I'm not sure if hearing the words "I've decided I don't really care anymore" comprises a "good thing." Even so, looking at a continuum of possible responses, this certainly comes close to the most extreme concession one can make, viz:

3) I concede to your superior views in this matter: You are right.

2) I don't care anymore.

1) I've lost my will to live.

In this sense, my point about rhetoric and expectations comes full circle here. Capote needed his ending, and the police needed their confession and to mete out "justice." With the right interrogator, they could have bypassed all the waiting. Hickock and Smith not only would have confessed, they would have died of harrassment as well.