Upton Fallon’s Last Days

Fallon’s ordinary kindness and professional knowledge make him both Burke’s final rival and the person whose murder most clearly exposes Burke’s self-deception.

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A Mill Veteran

A Mill Veteran A Working Life Upton Fallon has built a long career at Arcadia, rising from the tobacco-paper machine to production-line manager. Burke reads about him as the holder of a job that should, in Burke’s view, belong to someone more qualified. A Rival Made Abstract Before they meet, Burke reduces Fallon to an obstacle in a résumé contest. The distance makes it easier for him to imagine removing Fallon without considering the life attached to the position.

A Face at Lunch

A Face at Lunch A Familiar Workplace Burke sees Fallon at Betty’s with mill colleagues, taking part in the routine conversation of workers on a lunch break. Fallon’s voice and manner make him an identifiable person rather than a line in a trade journal. Knowledge Without Restraint Burke recognizes that he misses the industry and the community around it. The recognition humanizes the world Fallon belongs to, but does not halt Burke’s decision to pursue his job.

The Armed Homeowner

The Armed Homeowner A Sudden Confrontation Fallon returns home and finds Burke asleep in his house. He confronts the intruder with a revolver, uncertain whether Burke is a threat or an intruder who has wandered in. A Door to Conversation Burke invents a plea for career advice, and Fallon gradually accepts the explanation. His suspicion gives way to the solidarity of two men who have both experienced layoffs and fear.

The Paper Talk

The Paper Talk Shared Expertise Fallon listens to Burke describe his production line and offers practical knowledge about his own work. The conversation gives Burke genuine insights he intends to use if he gets the position. A Brief Fellowship They drink beer and condemn employers who discard workers. Burke enjoys Fallon’s company, which makes his continued plan harder to reconcile with the ordinary human connection forming between them.

The Staged Accident

The Staged Accident A Quiet Killing Burke binds Fallon while he is asleep and kills him in the kitchen. He then alters the scene to suggest an accidental gas explosion caused by a drunken mistake. A Human Cost Recast Burke leaves after hearing the explosion and tells himself the vacancy will restore his family’s life. The story he has constructed about necessity cannot erase the intimacy of the final conversation or the fact that Fallon trusted him.

Spring 1997, as Burke reads Pulp

Spring 1997, during Burke’s reconnaissance

Late June 1997, first attempted visit

Late June 1997, the final night

Late June 1997, after midnight