Wringer

Wringer Summary | Plot Summary

Wringer is the story of Palmer LaRue, a boy living in a small town named Waymer, which hosts an annual Family Fest. The culmination of the event is a Pigeon Shoot, where five thousand pigeons are shot for fundraising efforts to maintain the city's park. The book derives its title from the name given to the young boys who wring the necks of the pigeons who are only wounded, not killed, from the gunshots. Palmer witnesses this spectacle for the first time when he is four-years-old and the memory of the captive birds being killed for sport still haunts him.

Although it is considered an honor to become a wringer on your tenth birthday, Palmer dreads the day because of his horror of the event. Palmer is an exceptionally sensitive only child who finds it difficult to make friends. So when the local bullies named Beans, Mutto, and Henry befriend Palmer in his ninth year, Palmer feels acceptance for the first time ever. Up to this point, Palmer's only friend is a younger girl named Dorothy, who lives in the house across the street from Palmer.

When Palmer begins to spend time with Beans, Mutto, and Henry he starts to adapt their bullying ways which result in Dorothy's wounded feelings and Palmer's alienation from the girl he embraces. Palmer soon finds a friend in a stray pigeon that arrives at Palmer's bedroom window during a blizzard. It stays in Palmer's bedroom, where the boy and the bird become fast friends. Palmer names the pigeon Nipper and keeps the bird a secret from everyone, even telling his mother that he will be responsible for cleaning his room so that she will not enter and find evidence of Nipper's existence.

One day, Nipper lands on Palmer's head as he walks with his friends, and the boys realize that Palmer is hiding a pigeon in his house. Palmer's anxiety about the harm his friends will inflict on Nipper forces Palmer to seek out Dorothy, who understands Palmer's love for Nipper and his dread of becoming a wringer of pigeon necks. When the threats of Beans, Mutto, and Henry become too intense, Palmer gives Nipper to Dorothy so that she can release him at the seashore where her family will be vacationing.

During the weeks that follow, Palmer sinks into a depression over losing Nipper and his bad mood is deepened with the imminent Pigeon Shoot. Dorothy is the only person who understands Palmer's unwillingness to become a wringer so she seeks him out in the crowd during the big event. Palmer's horror at the event is accelerated when he learns that Dorothy released Nipper at a railroad yard where the shooting event organizers round up pigeons for the big shoot.

There is good and bad news when Palmer realizes that Nipper is in one of the crates at the Pigeon Shoot, recognizes Palmer, and returns to the killing field after having flown away. Palmer is able to rescue Nipper from being shot in spite of Beans' efforts to place Nipper in direct sight of a shooter and Palmer and Nipper walk home as loyal as two friends can be.