West with Giraffes

On September 21, 1938, the Great Hurricane hits New York. Woodrow has recently moved to New York from the Dust Bowl. When his parents and baby sister died, Woodrow decided to head to New York, where he has a relative named Cuz. After an arduous journey East, Woodrow discovered that Cuz was cruel, so now, Woodrow is on his own.

The hurricane is horrifying, and Woodrow finds Cuz’s body dead from the storm. He checks his pockets for money, finds a lucky rabbit’s foot, and kicks the corpse. Contemplating the stormy harbor, Woodrow agonizes over the injustices in his life. Woodrow is astounded when he sees two giraffes attached to cranes, one alive and one who looks dead until it opens a big eye at Woodrow.

Despite his upbringing that made animals a resource of food, not love, Woodrow loves animals and is immediately taken by the giraffes. He tries to help the seamen unload the giraffes. A truck pulls up and a man exits, heading straight for the giraffes. The man strokes the giraffes until they calm down. A zoo veterinarian joins the man and says it’s critical that the giraffes be given room to stand. They free the female giraffe and tend to her injured leg.

The vet advises the man that the female giraffe won’t survive her next trip. They rig the giraffes to the truck and drive away. Woodrow picks up the telegram the man threw to the ground. The telegram is for a Mrs. Belle Benchley at the San Diego Zoo, reporting that the giraffes are alive. California always held the promise of a golden life for people from the Dust Bowl like Woodrow. Suddenly, Woodrow “had something no Dust Bowl orphan had any business having. Although I was living in a time when such a thing was as likely to kill you as save you—I had a flickering hope” (27). Woodrow runs after the truck then steals a motorcycle to keep up his pace.

The truck pulls up to a gate for the giraffes’ US quarantine inspection. Woodrow overhears reporters at the scene say that the giraffes will be in quarantine for 12 days. Woodrow is impressed by a woman dressed in slacks who is a reporter (later revealed as Red).

Woodrow sneaks into the barn holding the giraffes and sees the man from the harbor, revealed to be Riley, set up his cot to stay with the giraffes overnight. Woodrow sneaks down to steal the scraps of Riley’s snacks, then comes face to face with the giraffes, who stare down at him. The giraffes’ enormous bodies and soulful gazes mesmerize Woodrow. The male giraffe searches Woodrow’s pockets, licking up then dropping the lucky rabbit’s foot Woodrow stole from Cuz’s corpse. Woodrow enters the stall to retrieve the rabbit’s foot, but the female giraffe pushes him over. The sound awakens Riley, who sets off after Woodrow. Woodrow finds a corner in the barn to hide in for the night.

The chapter ends with a narration from an older adult man (later revealed as Woodrow) sequestered in an unkind, residential care facility.

Woodrow wakes up to the sounds of men caring for the giraffes. Woodrow names the giraffes Wild Boy and Wild Girl. Riley checks on Wild Girl’s leg injury and she kicks him, frightening Woodrow, who knows the dangers of a large animal kick. Riley finds Woodrow and holds him down. Earl, one of the giraffe keepers, says he’ll call for the Sheriff. Despite Woodrow’s fears of being seen as a vagabond worthy of repulsion, he can’t let go of his California dream with the giraffes. The men leave him alone, and Woodrow escapes. Outside, the reporters are back. Woodrow sees a man grab Red’s arm, so he punches the man. Red helps Woodrow run off. He hides outside the quarantine barn, waiting for the giraffes’ departure. At night, he thinks about the giraffes, California, and Red.

On his second night outside the barn, he sees Red alone, contemplating the barn. She leaves behind a newspaper with her notes about the giraffe story. Her notes include a description of Woodrow, whom she calls handsome. He also finds her bucket list, which includes having a daughter and petting a giraffe. When she returns with the other reporters, Woodrow sneaks her notes back into her car. He spends his remaining days eagerly awaiting Red’s appearance.

After a few days of waiting, the giraffes are finally loaded into their boxcars. Woodrow follows them on his stolen motorcycle.

The narrative shifts to Woodrow in his old age. A red-haired woman named Rosie visits him and asks him if he’s been writing about the stories he once told her about Red and the giraffes.

Despite his knowledge of the danger of cross-country travel, Woodrow follows the giraffes through New Jersey. Police escorts are arranged to ensure secure travel. Woodrow finds a discarded newspaper that reports Adolf Hitler’s takeover of Austria and the never-before-seen cross-country travel of the giraffes. Woodrow sees Red’s car among the traffic. The escort leaves the giraffes at the state line crossing, which includes a ferry voyage. Woodrow sneaks onto the ferry and travels through the Delaware River with the giraffes. On the ferry, Woodrow sees Red’s car parked at the New Jersey state line. He is enraged to see that Red is with the man who grabbed her arm. Woodrow watches as the man grabs Red again, while Red gazes longingly at the boat with the giraffes.

The giraffes travel through Delaware and into Maryland. They approach signs warning of a tight bridge crossing. Woodrow’s motorcycle runs out of gas. The giraffes are stopped in an auto camp. That night, Woodrow hides in the woods with his eyes on the giraffes. He thinks through his options for stealing money to fill his motorcycle with gas. Then he sees Earl drunkenly hover near the giraffes. Three strangers approach and climb up to see the giraffes. As one of the strangers attempts to enter the giraffe’s stall, the giraffes let out a piercing and heartbreaking scream. Woodrow rushes to them and engages the three strangers in a fight. The sound of Riley’s gun stops them. Woodrow hides again and watches Riley berate Earl’s drunken night watch. Riley returns when Earl is kicked in the face by Wild Girl. Earl is bleeding and insists he can’t drive, but Riley points out he’s the only one who can drive the rig. Earl runs off in an empty dairy truck.

Woodrow starts up the rig to call Riley’s attention. He begs Riley to let him drive the rig; Woodrow knows how to drive it, and he is committed to the safety of the giraffes. Riley shoos him off and attempts to start the rig himself. Woodrow chases after the rig and hops on. After the bridge crossing, Riley is caught off guard by a surprised driver, and a swerve throws Woodrow off the rig into a ditch. He cries out, and Riley finds him. Riley agrees to let Woodrow help him until DC, where a new professional driver will be arranged. Woodrow takes control of the rig and is happy to see Red’s car following close behind.

The narrative shifts to Woodrow in his old age, writing. Rosie checks in on him again and asks if and how he will write to Red.

Riley tells Woodrow to call him Mr. Jones. He asks about Woodrow’s origins and Woodrow tells him that his family’s farm was consumed by the dust, leaving him with no family. They stop to eat and wash up, and Riley gives Woodrow a new outfit so he can be more presentable. Woodrow is 17 years old and has never been in possession of anything new. Woodrow helps Riley settle the giraffes. Woodrow notices that Riley is missing half a finger on his gnarled hand. Riley tells Woodrow about his first job killing useless horses. Riley hated the job and was later inspired by a character named Hawkeye from Fenimore Cooper’s literature. Hawkeye killed animals but only when necessary and not without blessing and gratitude. Woodrow has never met a philosophical thinker who looks as rough as Riley.

They stop to let a circus train pass. As they try to get the giraffes’ heads inside the rig so as not to cause a ruckus with the passing circus animals, Red drives past and gawks at Woodrow. Woodrow and Riley are due in DC the next day, and Woodrow tries to think of a way to stay on with the giraffes. They stop for the night, and Red finds Woodrow after Riley has gone to bed. He sneaks her over to the rig where she pets the giraffes. Red thanks Woodrow with a hug. She calls him Stretch and asks about his story. It is revealed that she is working on a photo-essay for Life Magazine. She asks for Woodrow’s help to complete her photo-essay.

Woodrow has a nightmare about giraffes running from the danger. In the middle of the night, he goes to Riley and tells him he will be staying on. Woodrow notices that Red’s car is gone.