On For The Long Haul

At the start of the story, Bayard is getting his appendix removed because he read an article about someone who died from a sudden appendix burst in Malaysia (even though he is only traveling to Montana). Bayard, thinking about a potential nuclear war on food and resources, experiences extreme paranoia all day and through the night, which is when he decides he's on for "the long haul," AKA the trip to Montana. That night, Bayard goes on to tell his wife, Fran, that Los Angeles is a dangerous place to be for an earthquake or if Russia attacks the US. This is how he introduces to Fran the idea of moving the family to Montana. It takes a lot of thought, research, and sitting around on Fran's part before finally agreeing to go. The house in Montana was fully equipped with weaponry, food, and all housing supplies thanks to Bayard's boss, Arkson. Arkson uses his persuasive tone to convince Bayard and Fran to purchase the expensive weapons. Arkson is portrayed as a very powerful man.

Two months later, Bayard feels lucky to be in Montana; he had no regrets about leaving California. Bayard senses that his two daughters are feeling depressed, however. Fran has hope that the girls will adjust; Bayard has no intention on going back to the city. One afternoon, Arkson and a man that Bayard had not recognized came to his front door. Arkson was avoiding eye contact with Bayard and acting suspicious from the get-go. The stranger acts in the same manner as Arkson. The stranger is revealed to be named Rayfield Cullum. Bayard reaches his hand out in greeting but Cullum doesn't shake his hand. Arkson then informs Bayard that other people, including Cullum, will soon be moving in as his neighbors. Bayard's daughter, Melissa, accidentally slips and her chocolate ice cream fell onto Cullum's jumpsuit. Cullum kicks Melissa twice in the ribs. Right in the presence of his daughters, Bayard proceeds to fight Cullum, with Arkson trying to stop the altercation. Fran later expresses concern that Cullum will be living next door to them--Bayard claims to be able to deal with him. Weeks pass without seeing Arkson or Cullum. Bayard buys to domesticated rabbits as pets for the family. Just as soon as they become attatched to the rabbits, they are murdered. Mentions of a world demise continue. Bayard grabs a gun and tries to figure out who would have killed the rabbits. Fran wonders if it was Cullum. Bayard calls Arkson, who informs him that Cullum did indeed move into Montana just one day before. As Bayard heads to his car, he sees Cullum in a car outside. Cullum exits and taunts Bayard, holding up a rifle at his side. Bayard reflects, stating that even if he knew how to use the gun, even if he practiced all the time on soda cans and junkyard rats, he would never use it for real. "But Cullum would," the story concludes. "Oh yes, Cullum would. Cullum was on for the long haul."

"On For The Long Haul" is the type of story that someone starts reading, then they look at the clock forty-five minutes later and realize how quickly the time's gone by. T.C. Boyle uses omniscient narration to deeply dig inside the thoughts--some sick, some sane--of Bayard Wemp, Fran Wemp, their daughters, Arkson, and Cullum. The story is fueled by Bayard's recurring thoughts about some sort of figurative world demise, which drives him to move his family to Montana. The only problem is that, no matter how convinced Bayard is otherwise, he is not "on for the long haul." This is not revealed until the end of the story, where he is mentally incapable of using any of the guns he had bought from Arkson with intent to hit another human being with a bullet, even in the defense of his family.

I believe that after the story ends, Culllum shoots and kills Bayard. Therefore, Bayard would see the "end of the world as [he knows] it" not with an agricultural disaster, but with Cullum's murdering of him. T.C. Boyle uses an insecure character (who actually tells himself he's secure) in Bayard to contrast with a sure-fire killer in Cullum, someone who truly is "on for the long haul."

Being "on for the long haul" is portrayed as a physical concept, but it is actually a psychological trait. Making the move from the city to Montana comes with not only the ability to own guns (which acts as one example representing an array of life changes),  but the mindset to use them.