Relationship between Glen Bateman and Kojak

Glen Bateman, a retired sociology professor from Woodsville, New Hampshire, met Kojak in late June 1990, shortly after the superflu pandemic had swept through the region. Bateman was sitting by the roadside, painting a watercolor, when the auburn Irish setter bounded up to Stu Redman, who had just walked into view. Bateman called the dog off with a stern "Kojak! Get down!" and introduced himself, explaining that the dog was not his originally but had belonged to someone across town; he had rechristened the animal Kojak, and the dog seemed not to mind. From that first meeting, Bateman established a playful, philosophical rapport with the dog, frequently addressing him in a mock-serious tone about the importance of "control" and "savoir faire." Kojak, for his part, responded with a joyful, tail-wagging enthusiasm that immediately charmed both Bateman and Redman.

A Bond Forged in the Post-Plague World

Bateman and Kojak quickly became inseparable. Bateman, a lifelong bachelor with no children, treated the dog as a companion and a conversational foil, often talking to him at length about sociology, ecology, and the absurdities of the new world. Kojak, in turn, provided Bateman with a tangible connection to life and loyalty in a landscape emptied of human society. When Bateman decided to join Stu Redman, Fran Goldsmith, and Harold Lauder on their journey west, he initially left Kojak behind in Woodsville, believing the dog could not travel on a motorcycle. Yet Kojak, driven by an instinctive bond, followed Bateman across nearly two thousand miles, arriving in Boulder weeks later, battered and scarred from a fight with wolves. Bateman was overwhelmed with emotion, weeping at the sight of the dog and vowing to care for him. The reunion solidified their relationship as one of profound mutual devotion.

The Journey West and the Final Separation

When Mother Abagail, on her deathbed, commanded the four men—Stu Redman, Larry Underwood, Ralph Brentner, and Glen Bateman—to walk west to confront Randall Flagg, Bateman insisted on bringing Kojak. The dog accompanied them through the Rockies and into the Utah desert, a constant presence at Bateman's heel. During the arduous trek, Kojak served as both a practical aid and an emotional anchor. When Stu Redman broke his leg and was left behind, Kojak initially stayed with Stu, bringing him food and warmth, but later returned to Glen's camp. However, as the three remaining men pressed on, Kojak made a decisive choice: he turned back and rejoined Stu, staying with the injured man through his illness and recovery. Bateman, upon realizing Kojak was gone, expressed only a quiet, sorrowful acceptance, suggesting that the dog had perhaps been sent by God to care for Stu. This final act of loyalty, in which Kojak chose to remain with the wounded man rather than follow his original master, underscores the depth of the bond Bateman had fostered—a bond strong enough to inspire independent, selfless action in the dog.

Thematic Significance

The relationship between Glen Bateman and Kojak serves as a powerful counterpoint to the novel's themes of isolation, death, and the struggle between good and evil. In a world where human connections have been shattered by the superflu, the bond between a man and his dog represents a form of pure, uncomplicated loyalty that transcends the moral ambiguities of the human conflict. Bateman, a cynical intellectual who often doubts the goodness of humanity, finds in Kojak a creature of unwavering fidelity and simple joy. Kojak's journey—from a chance encounter to a cross-country trek and finally to a self-sacrificing act of care—mirrors the novel's central idea that love and loyalty, even in their most basic forms, are the forces that can sustain life and hope in the face of overwhelming darkness. The dog's presence also provides Bateman with a tangible link to the natural world, a world that, unlike human society, seems capable of renewal and simple, uncomplicated existence.