The Last Spin
by Evan Hunter (1960, full text available online)Introduction
In this short story, author Evan Hunter uses the term “club” for what we now call gangs. The two protagonists become aware that they joined their respective gang because it was the gang on their street, not because they liked the other members. Sometimes instead of choosing one’s friends, one is clumped together with others based on geographic location, physical characteristics, or religion.
Summary
Two rival gangs decide to solve a problem one on one instead of making war on the streets. A gang member is chosen from each gang to play Russian roulette: one person must die. As the two young men face each other “playing” this game in an empty basement room, they talk and realize they have much in common, neither is the enemy, and there is no reason to create an enemy out of either group. The young men decide to defy gang rules and meet on Sunday to hang out. Lesson learned, barrel spins, gun fires, one dies.
Excerpt
“The boy sitting opposite him was his enemy.
The boy sitting opposite him was called Tigo, and he wore a green silk jacket with an orange stripe on each sleeve. The jacket told Danny that Tigo was his enemy. The jacket shrieked, “Enemy, enemy!”
. . .“You like the guys on you club?” Danny asked, wondering why he was asking such a stupid question, listening to the whirring of the cylinder at the same time.
“They’re okay.” Tigo shrugged. “None of them really send me, but that’s the club on my block, so what’re you gonna do, huh?” His hand left the cylinder. It stopped spinning. He put the gun to his head.
“Wait!” Danny said.
Tigo looked puzzled. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing. I just wanted to say... I mean...” Danny frowned. “I don’t dig too many of the guys on my club, either.”
“Sure, sure,” Tigo said. “It ain’t only that, though. Like sometimes... well, don’t you wonder what you’re doing stomping some guy in the street? Like ... you know what I mean? Like ... who’s the guy to you? What you got to beat him up for? ‘Cause he messed with somebody else’s girl?” Tigo shook his head. “It gets complicated sometimes.”
“Yeah, but ...” Danny frowned again. “You got to stick with the club. Don’t you?”
“Sure, sure ... hell yes.” Again, their eyes locked.
. . .“We could say ... well ... like we kept shootin’ an’ nothing happened, so ...” Tigo shrugged. “What the hell! We can’t do this all night, can we?”
“I don’t know.”
“Let’s make this the last spin. Listen, they don’t like it, they can take a flying leap, you know?”
“I don’t think they’ll like it. We’re supposed to settle this for the clubs.”
“Screw the clubs!” Tigo said. “Can’t we pick our own ...” The word was hard coming. When it came, his eyes did not leave Danny’s face. “... friends?”
“Sure we can,” Danny said vehemently. “Sure we can! Why not?”
“The last spin,” Tigo said. “Come on, the last spin.”
“Gone,” Danny said. “Hey you know, I’m glad they got this idea. You know that? I’m actually glad!” He twirled the cylinder. “Look, you want to go on the lake this Sunday? I mean with your girl and mine? We could get two boats. Or even one if you want.” “Yeah, one boat,” Tigo Said. “Hey, your girl’ll like Juana, I mean it. She’s a swell chick.”
The cylinder stopped. Danny put the gun to his head quickly.
“Here’s to Sunday,” he said. He grinned at Tigo, and Tigo grinned back, and then Danny fired.
The explosion rocked the small basement room, ripping away half of Danny’s head, shattering his face. A small cry escaped Tigo’s throat, and a look of incredulous shock knifed his eyes. Then he put his head on the table and began weeping.
Questions and Discussion
These two young men (too young to join the military) were thrown into several situations that seemed beyond their control: they both joined the gangs that controlled their streets, they were taught people they had never seen were their enemy, they attacked and beat people on command, and they were commanded to play Russian roulette to the death. They seemed to have no control over their lives. But near the end of the game of Russian roulette, the boys realize they do have control. They can tell their gangs that they will no longer take their orders and will no longer see a true friend as an enemy. What do you think Tigo will do with this newly discovered power over his own life?
Gangs are often created based on ethnic characteristics. Latino gangs, Asian gangs, white supremacist gangs, African gangs, Arab gangs, etc. These gangs actually perpetuate a dangerous stereotype—that people who look alike think alike and act alike. That is a dangerous stereotype often used by a majority intolerant population against a minority population. It can be hard trying to get to now someone who looks different and sounds different, but the benefits can be long-lasting.
One of the most ridiculous forms of intolerance is to dislike a person on command. And yet, in a very subtle way, citizens are strongly suggested to think in certain ways about groups of people from media sources: television, movies, books, newspapers, music, etc.