Home » Reading & Literature » American Cult Fiction » Honky by Dalton Conley

Honky by Dalton Conley

© Marla M. Mitchell

The products of two creative entities, a writer mother and a painter father, Conley and his younger sister experienced a very unique upbringing.

Conley, now an Associate Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for Advanced Social Science Research at New York University, recounts particular incidences form his childhood in which he establishes the fact that indeed sometimes you feel like a Honky and sometimes you don't.

Kids can be cruel, if not vicious at times. Interestingly enough, even in such a harsh environment, the best tool for survival was not brute force. Much to the contrary, quick wit was a much more useful tool.

Often Conley was put on the spot and had to be prepared to defend himself at virtually any second. He discovered quickly that the best way to let the other kids know just when to step off was to get them with a smart remark, not a punch in the face.

Yeah, stick them in the ribs with a great line and the result would be the same as a kick in the head. Razor sharp wit granted you admittance into the ranks of the 'cool kids.' Once there, you were in and you were safe, until next time anyway.

Despite the on-going tension of trying to fit in with his peers, far more serious issues lie waiting up ahead.

Growing up in a violent neighborhood Conley witnesses more than a few dastardly deeds take place before his very eyes. Often the perpetrators and victims are kids that he either knew directly, or more often than not they were friends of friends.

Each day brings with it new and ever present dangers. After one particular incident in which a neighbor boy wound up dead, Conley's mother feels it is time to ship him across town to another school. She of course had safety concerns for her children in mind, but this would also give them a chance to further excel.

At his new school, he is introduced to essentially a whole new world.

He recounts the events of his first day at his new school. The day he learns the word, An-ti-dis-es-tab-lish-men-tar-ian-ism, which means going against one's own beliefs, the word and it's definition stick with him through the years. Resonating clearly time and again.

Overall, he felt accepted by his peers, though occasionally singled out. However as he speedlines towards adolescence he finds that fitting in isn't quite as easy as it used to be.

The copyright of the article Honky by Dalton Conley in American Cult Fiction is owned by Marla M. Mitchell. Permission to republish Honky by Dalton Conley in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.