Short Fiction · Chapter
Bulger's Friend explained
Old Bulger, the town's eccentric and reclusive miser, joins the Salvation Army as a bass drummer.
What happens
Old Bulger, the town's eccentric and reclusive miser, joins the Salvation Army as a bass drummer. He reveals to the sergeant that a mysterious 'friend' has driven him to ruin, yet he cannot give this friend up. As a severe winter causes widespread suffering, the Army struggles to provide relief. Bulger eventually donates his entire hidden savings of over six hundred dollars to the Army, revealing that his 'friend' was his hoarded money. He asks only that a Christmas tree and a new bass drum be provided.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Appearance vs. Reality
Bulger appears as a miserly, unsound wizard, but his hidden gold is ultimately revealed as a tool for redemption, not selfishness. His 'friend' is a deceptive attachment to wealth.
Social Class and Wealth
Bulger's poverty and eccentricity mark him as an outcast. His hoarded wealth contrasts with the community's charity, and his donation bridges the gap between his miserly past and his new role as a benefactor.
Ambition and Failure
Bulger's internal struggle to give up his 'friend' represents a failed attempt at spiritual peace until he finally succeeds through his donation.
Characters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The third-person narrator describes Bulger's character, his joining the Salvation Army, and the events of the harsh winter.
- The Sergeant
The Salvation Army sergeant who welcomes Bulger, counsels him about his mysterious 'friend,' and leads the relief efforts during the winter. He receives Bulger's donation.
Key passages
“You know when I can think best, sergeant? It’s when I’m beating the drum. Other times there’s a kind of muddled roarin’ in my head. The drum seems to kind of soothe and calm it.”
Bulger explains that drumming helps him think clearly, quieting the confusion in his mind.
Reveals Bulger's reliance on the drum for mental clarity and his ongoing internal conflict.
“I’ve got no family, nor no friends—but one. And that one is what’s driven me to ruin.”
Bulger admits he has only one friend, and that friend has caused his downfall.
Foreshadows the revelation that his 'friend' is his hoarded money.
“Six hundred and twenty-three dollars and eighty-five cents!”
The sergeant counts Bulger's donation, totaling over six hundred dollars.
Climactic moment where Bulger's hidden wealth is revealed and donated.