Таинственная история Билли Миллигана

           HewouldstayhereinCircleville,sellherinterestinthebarandthenjoinher.Allshehadtodowassignhershareovertohim.

           Shedidwhathesuggested,tookthechildrentohersistersplaceinFlorida,checkedoutsomeclubsforsaleandwaitedamonth.Henevershowedup.Realizingshehadbeentakenbyaconman,shecamebacktoCirclevilleagain—broke.

           In1962,whileshewassingingataloungeofabowlingalley,DorothymetChalmerMilligan,awidower.Henowlivedwithhisdaughter,Challa,whowasthesameageasBilly,andhehadagrowndaughterwhowasanurse.HebegantodateDorothyandgotherajobatthecompanywherehewasajobstewardonpressmachines,moldingpartsfortelephones.

           Fromthebeginning,Billydidn’tlikehim.HetoldJimbo,"Idon’ttrusthim."

           ThePumpkinFestivalinCircleville,famousthroughouttheMidwest,wastheannualhighlightofthetown.Inadditiontoparadesandfloats,thestreetswereturnedintoapumpkinfair,vendorsintheirboothssellingpumpkindonuts,pumpkincandiesandevenpumpkinhamburgers.Thecitywastransformedintoapumpkinfairylandoflightsandstreamersandcarnivalrides.ThePumpkinFestivalofOctober1963wasahappytime.

           Dorothyfeltherlifehadtakenagoodturn.Shehadmetamanwithasteadyjobwhowouldbeabletotakecareofherandwhosaidhewouldadoptherthreechildren.Hewould,shefelt,beagoodfather,andshewouldbeagoodmothertoChalla.