an accident waiting to happen。 As for the rest of us； we would have scoffed at the idea that we functioned most usefully not as the guards of the condemned but as their psychiatrists part of me still wants to scoff at that idea today … but we knew about getting the talk started 。 。 。 and without the talk； men facing Old Sparky had a nasty habit of going insane。
I made a note at the bottom of Brutal's report to talk to John Coffey … to try； at least … and then passed on to a note from Curtis Anderson； the warden's chief assistant。 It said that he； Anderson； expected a DOE order for Edward Delacrois （Anderson's misspelling； the man's name was actually Eduard Delacroix） very soon。 DOE stood for date of execution； and according to the note； Curtis had been told on good authority that the little Frenchman would take the walk shortly before Halloween … October 27th was his best guess； and Curtis Anderson's guesses were very informed。 But before then we could expect a new resident； name of William Wharton。 〃He's what you like to call 'a problem child；' 〃 Curtis had written ' in his backslanting and somehow prissy script。 〃Crazy…wild and proud of it。 Has rambled all over the state for the last year or so； and has hit the big time at last。 Killed three people in a holdup； one a pregnant woman； killed a fourth in the getaway。 State Patrolman。 All he missed was a nun and a blind man！' I smiled a little at that。 〃Wharton is 19 years old； has Billy the Kid tattooed on upper l。 forearm。 You will have to slap his nose a time or two； I guarantee you that； but be careful when you do it。 This man just doesn't care。〃 He had underlined this last sentiment twice； then finished： 〃Also； he may be a hang…arounder。 He's working appeals； and there's the fact that he is a minor。〃
A