Clean Getaway

They drive through Texas without stopping for a long time. G’ma then suggests that they go to Six Flags, and Scoob sees his grandmother as he’s always known her. She wanted to go to Six Flags with G’pop when one opened in Atlanta in 1967, but there was no way that that would’ve been allowed.

They ride the Runaway Mine Train and several others. At the end of the day, Scoob thanks G’ma “[f]or making this the best day ever” (176).

Scoob falls asleep as they drive. When he wakes up later that evening, the RV is empty. He finds a note from G’ma saying that she went to find a new map. They’ve arrived in Abilene, Texas. He puts the TV on when an Amber Alert for missing children appears, and it mentions him. The alert reveals that G’ma is being is being investigated for several jewelry thefts around Atlanta. Scoob sees his school picture from the previous October and a photo of G’ma he took.

He leaves the RV to get some fresh air and is surprised to see G’ma lighting a cigarette.

G’ma tells Scoob not to tell his dad that she’s been smoking. He remains silent, thinking about the allegations of theft, which, after seeing her at the jewelry store in Meridian, doesn’t surprise him. He also thinks about the fact that an Amber Alert has been issued, especially since they’re usually put out in kidnapping cases. He thinks that he would “feel kidnapped” if he was, but he’s not sure G’ma would take him home if he asked (186).

When they make camp for the night in Monahan Sandhills State Park, Scoob is on edge. G’ma makes him some cocoa and thanks him for coming. He begins to notice how shaky and frail she seems, realizing, “there’s something very wrong with his G’ma” (190).

Scoob awakes to hear his G’ma talking in her sleep. She then starts sleep walking, still yelling Jimmy’s name. He manages to catch her as she falls.

Scoob learns that G’ma stole the jewelry that Jimmy was arrested for. When she suggested running away to Mexico, Jimmy had also been stealing from the gas station he was working at, not knowing that she had a stash of her own. She stole because she “was an angry young woman, Scoob—my daddy left, and my mama passed away, and people were so awful to one another, especially white folks to blacks” (193). It was a way of getting some justice.

When the police came in the middle of the night, Jimmy explained that he hadn’t taken the jewelry, just the money, and G’ma hadn’t said anything. She knew he was going to jail no matter what, just because he was Black. She never came clean and started to tell herself it was to protect James and that it’s what Jimmy would’ve wanted. She never went to visit since she also thought the white inmates might give him a hard time if she, a white woman, showed up to see him.

G’ma never told James what happened, and Jimmy died in prison.

They must go to the hospital because Scoob gets a piece of glass in his foot and G’ma needs help. At first, they don’t realize that he and G’ma are the pair from the Amber Alert because Scoob gives a different name. He sees the doctors talking over G’ma because she’s so sick.

When the police arrive, Scoob explains that he wanted to stay with G’ma and that he wasn’t kidnapped. He’s allowed to stay after they talk to his dad, who is on his way. He didn’t call James himself because he’s still processing everything G’ma told him.

Scoob wakes the next morning in G’ma’s hospital room and sees his dad. He runs into his arms.