How does the dialogue in pars. 21–24 add to the drama?
– ing storytelling and describing with remembering thoughts and feelings in par. 35?
thoughts. The humiliation at that moment was overwhelming. I felt like Hester Prynne
being put on public display for everyone to ridicule.
That short walk through the mall seemed to take hours. But once we reached the
squad car, time raced by. I was read my rights and questioned. We were at the police
station within minutes. Everything happened so fast I didn’t have a chance to feel
remorse for my crime. Instead, I viewed what was happening to me as if it were a movie.
Being searched, although embarrassing, somehow seemed to be exciting. All the movies
and television programs I had seen were actually coming to life. This is what it was
really like. But why were criminals always portrayed as frightened and regretful? I was
having fun. I thought I had nothing to fear — until I was allowed my one phone call.
I was trembling as I dialed home. I didn’t know what I was going to say to my parents,
especially my mother.
“Hi, Dad, this is Jean.”
“We’ve been waiting for you to call.”
“Did Susie tell you what happened?”
“Yeah, but we haven’t told your mother. I think you should tell her what you did
and where you are.”
“You mean she doesn’t even know where I am?”
“No, I want you to explain it to her.”
There was a pause as he called my mother to the phone. For the first time that
night, I was close to tears. I wished I had never stolen that stupid pin. I wanted to
give the phone to one of the officers because I was too ashamed to tell my mother the
truth, but I had no choice.
“Jean, where are you?”
“I’m, umm, in jail.”
“Why? What for?”
“Shoplifting.”
“Oh no, Jean. Why? Why did you do it?”
“I don’t know. No reason. I just did it.”
“I don’t understand. What did you take? Why did you do it? You had plenty of
money with you.”
“I know but I just did it. I can’t explain why. Mom, I’m sorry.”
“I’m afraid sorry isn’t enough. I’m horribly disappointed in you.”
Long after we got off the phone, while I sat in an empty jail cell, waiting for my
parents to pick me up, I could still distinctly hear the disappointment and hurt in my