Stephen King's the Dark Tower: The Complete Concordance Revised and Updated (26 page)

JAPANESE TOURISTS AT THE PLAZA:
See
PLAZA–PARK HYATT CHARACTERS:
JAPANESE TOURISTS

MIA:
See
MIA
,
listed separately

RAT, MR.:
See
MIA
,
listed separately

VAN WYCK, MATHIESSEN (MATS):
Mats is the second assistant to the Swedish ambassador. He is also the first person SUSANNAH DEAN mesmerizes with her SCRIMSHAW TURTLE. Mats pays for SUSANNAH-MIO’s room at the PLAZA–PARK HYATT hotel. He also gives her all of his cash. In return, Susannah uses hypnotic suggestion to assure his regular bowel movements (one of Mats’s problems) and to make him cease worrying about his wife’s affair. VI:83–89, VI:93, VI:94
(indirect),
VI:256, VI:349, VII:143

SWEDISH AMBASSADOR:
VI:85, VI:88

WIFE (UNNAMED):
She is having an affair, and this causes Mats tremendous grief. VI:85, VI:88

HER LOVER:
VI:85, VI:88

WOMAN WITH STROLLER:
VI:75

DETTA WALKER’S ASSOCIATES:

DETTA/ODETTA’S “A TRAIN” ACCIDENT ASSOCIATES:

ELDERLY WHITE BUSINESSMAN:
This man gave his belt to the OLD BLACK WOMAN who was trying to save Detta/Odetta’s legs. II:216

ESTEVEZ, JULIO:
An ambulance worker who helped to save Detta/Odetta’s life after her legs were amputated by the A train at CHRISTOPHER STREET STATION. He was deeply disturbed by her split personality. Julio belonged to the bowling team
THE SPICS OF SUPREMACY.
II:211–12, II:214–20
(present)

BASALE, MIGUEL:
One of the guys on Julio Estevez’s bowling team. II:211

OLD BLACK WOMAN:
This elderly lady jumped onto the tracks to make tourniquets around Detta/Odetta’s bleeding thighs, thereby saving her life. She was later given a Medal of Bravery by the mayor. The only other people to help in the rescue effort were a white kid who called for an ambulance and an old businessman who loaned his belt. II:215–16

PARAMEDICS (THE BOBBSEY TWINS):
II:211, II:217–20
(present)

SHAVERS, GEORGE:
The intern from SISTERS OF MERCY HOSPITAL who was part of the “Emergency Ride” program. He helped to keep Detta/Odetta alive during her ambulance ride. Like JULIO ESTEVEZ, he knew that there was something profoundly wrong with DETTA/ODETTA’s mind. II:211–20

YOUNG WHITE GUY:
This young man called for an ambulance while most of the A train commuters just stood and stared. II:215

DETTA’S MACY’S ASSOCIATES:
Detta Walker liked to shoplift from this department store.

FLOORWALKER:
II:221, II:222, II:223

HALVORSEN, JIMMY:
Halvorsen was the Macy’s store detective who caught Detta shoplifting. His jiggling belly resembled a sack of potatoes. II:221–23, II:227

SALESGIRL #1:
II:202–3, II:208

SALESGIRL #2:
II:208

DETTA’S OTHER ASSOCIATES:

FRAT BOY:
He was one of the many white boys cock-teased by vengeful Detta. II:195–96

HORNY BOYS IN ROADSIDE PARKING LOTS:
VI:237

ODETTA HOLMES’S ASSOCIATES:

BEASLEY, JESSICA:
Jessica Beasley was Odetta’s mother’s friend. She suffered the indignity of two false pregnancies. V:121

BLUE LADY:
See
SISTER BLUE
,
listed below

CARVER, MOSES (POP MOSE):
See
TET CORPORATION
: FOUNDING FATHERS

CYNTHIA:
Odetta’s friend. IV:626

FEENY, ANDREW:
Odetta’s chauffeur. II:185–93, II:197, II:242, II:294, III:258, VI:219, VII:555

FOLK CLUB BOYFRIEND:
This young man introduced Odetta to the folk music she grew to love. II:199

FREEMAN, NATHAN:
Nathan Freeman took sixteen-year-old Odetta Holmes to the Spring Hop. VI:101

GIRL AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY (STORYTELLER):
At a college hen party, this girl told a story about a young woman on a long car trip who was too embarrassed to tell her friends that she needed to stop and pee. Her bladder burst and she died. VI:62

GIRL WHOSE BLADDER BURST:
VI:62

GRANDMOTHERS (MATERNAL AND PATERNAL):
VII:643

HOLMES, ALICE (MOTHER):
See
HOLMES, ALICE,
listed separately

HOLMES, DAN (FATHER):
See
HOLMES, DAN,
listed separately

HOLMES DENTAL:
See
HOLMES DENTAL INDUSTRIES,
listed separately

HOWARD:
Doorman, Greymarl Apartments. II:190–93

LEON:
Odetta’s friend. He was with her in the OXFORD TOWN prison. The guards called him a pinko fag. III:15

MURRAY, PROFESSOR:
Professor Murray taught medieval history at COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. In this class Susannah learned the story of KING ARTHUR and his betraying son/nephew, MORDRED. VI:107

OVERMEYER, PROFESSOR:
Professor Overmeyer taught Psych 1 at COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. Odetta took his class as an undergraduate. VI:68

PIMSY:
Odetta’s beloved childhood pet. VII:123–24, VII:519

SISTER BLUE (BLUE LADY):
Sister Blue (often called Blue Lady) was ODETTA HOLMES’s maternal aunt. Her real name was Sophia, but she earned her nickname thanks to her fondness for the color blue. After attending Aunt Blue’s wedding, Odetta was hit on the head by a brick thrown by the psychopathic JACK MORT. Mort’s brick cracked her skull and gave birth to Odetta’s second personality, that of nasty DETTA WALKER. For some reason, Detta blamed Aunt Blue for her accident and as a result developed a particular abhorrence for both her aunt and the beautiful white-and-blue wedding plates that Aunt Blue received from the Holmes family.

The Blue Lady’s white-and-blue china
forspecial
plates play an important part in
Wolves of the Calla.
First, they are identical to the plates from which MIA eats in her magical BANQUETING HALL. Second, they bear an uncanny resemblance to the plates thrown by the SISTERS OF ORIZA. However, unlike Sister Blue’s
forspecial
plates, the deadly weapons thrown by the Sisters are made of titanium and are honed to a murderous sharpness. While in the Calla we also find out that the delicate blue webbing found on the plates actually resembles the young rice plants called ORIZAs, named after the goddess of the rice. II:194, II:235–36, II:277, II:324, II:388, III:266, IV:650, V:76
(Blue Lady),
V:84
(Blue Lady),
VI:375

VAN RONK, DAVE:
Dave Van Ronk was a white blues-shouter. ODETTA saw him perform in GREENWICH VILLAGE in the early 1960s. He must have been pretty good, since Susannah remembered some of his songs. V:168

ODETTA HOLMES AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT:

FREEDOM RIDERS:
In 1961, seven black and six white members of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) left Washington, D.C., on two public buses bound for the Deep South. They wanted to test the Supreme Court ruling which stated that segregation on interstate buses and rail stations was unconstitutional. Although they suffered terrible treatment at the hands of racists (one of their buses was burned and many of the Freedom Riders were brutalized), the protests continued. In fact, by the end of the summer, protests had spread to airports and train stations throughout the South. In November, the Interstate Commerce Commission issued rules prohibiting segregated transportation facilities. The Freedom Riders’ aim—to desegregate public transportation in the South—had succeeded. II:227, VI:256

ODETTA’S “MOVEMENT” ASSOCIATES:
In 1964, the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) led a massive voter registration and desegregation campaign in MISSISSIPPI. They called it the Freedom Summer. Odetta Holmes took part in the voter registration movement. VI:351, VI:353, VI:355

ANDERSON, DELBERT:
Delbert Anderson was a guitar player involved in the voter registration movement. VI:352, VI:353

BAIL BONDSMAN:
VI:220, VI:221

BAMBRY, JOHN:
He was the pastor of the FIRST AFRO-AMERICAN METHODIST CHURCH in OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI. VI:352

BAMBRY, LESTER:
Lester Bambry was the brother of JOHN BAMBRY. He owned the BLUE MOON HOTEL, where Odetta and her friends stayed while registering black voters in MISSISSIPPI. VI:352

DARRYL:
Darryl was a white boy who became Odetta’s lover during her time in the voter registration movement. VI:354–55

OXFORD TOWN COPS:
VI:220

VOTER REGISTRATION BOYS:
These three young men (historical figures, every one) were killed while registering black voters in MISSISSIPPI in 1964. Their deaths mark one of the true low points of American history.

CHANEY, JAMES:
James Chaney was born in May of 1943 and was a native of Meridian, MISSISSIPPI. In 1963 he joined CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) and was an active participant in the voter
registration movement. On June 21, 1964, Chaney and two white activists—ANDREW GOODMAN and MICHAEL SCHWERNER—were attacked and killed by the Ku Klux Klan. VI:351, VI:352, VI:354, VI:355, VI:356, VI:357

GOODMAN, ANDREW:
Andrew Goodman, from MANHATTAN, was twenty when he died on the Rock Cut Road. He had been in MISSISSIPPI for only one full day. VI:351, VI:352, VI:354, VI:355, VI:356, VI:357

SCHWERNER, MICHAEL:
The rednecks of OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI, called Schwerner the “Jewboy.” To the Klan members of NESHOBA COUNTY, he was known as “goatee.” Schwerner was the most hated Civil Rights worker in Mississippi. His “elimination” was ordered by the Klan’s imperial wizard. ANDREW GOODMAN and JAMES CHANEY died with him. VI:351, VI:352, VI:354, VI:355, VI:356, VI:357, VI:361

DEAN, WENDELL (EDDIE DEAN’S FATHER)

EDDIE DEAN’s mom claimed that Eddie’s father’s name was Wendell. Since Eddie couldn’t remember the guy, he had to take his mother’s word for it.

III:68, III:174, V:215, VI:188
(saying)

DEARBORN, WILL

This was young Roland’s alias in HAMBRY. It is used throughout much of
Wizard and Glass.
Since Roland is the main character in the Dark Tower series, his presence is implied in all other entries. For specific information about Roland’s adventures, look up the other characters or places involved. For example, page references for his love affair with Susan Delgado are listed under DELGADO, SUSAN.
See also
DESCHAIN, ROLAND,
later in this section

DEATHFLY

This is the fly that the young JAKE CHAMBERS is certain will buzz around his corpse.

VII:95, VII:96

DEBARIA CHARACTERS

The first of the interlocking tales which Roland tells in
Wind Through the Keyhole
is an autobiographical story about his adventures with JAMIE DeCURRY in the town of DEBARIA, where STEVEN DESCHAIN had sent the two young gunslingers to hunt down a shapeshifting SKIN-MAN. Located on the edge of the ALKALI FLATS, ten or twelve wheels from the women’s retreat of SERENITY, the dusty, hide-smelling railhead town of Debaria shipped their two main products—cattle and block salt—south, east, and north, in other words in every direction other than the one where JOHN FARSON’s rebellion raged. In Roland’s grandfather’s days, Debaria had been a fine little city, but by the time our story takes place, the town’s two lifelines—the mines and the railroad—are both failing. STEVEN DESCHAIN thought that Debaria would soon dry up and blow away like so many others in Mid-World, but when Roland and Jamie traveled there it was still a lively (if decaying) town.

According to Roland’s father, many of Debaria’s residents were drinkers, whores, gamblers, and confidence men, but there were still a few honorable citizens left among the rabble. First and foremost among these good men was HIGH SHERIFF HUGH PEAVY, whom Roland and Jamie were told to seek out as soon as they arrived in the town via the small train known as SMA’ TOOT. It turns out that many years previously, when Peavy was still a deputy, he helped Steven Deschain hunt down the nasty CROW GANG. From Peavy, Roland learned that the dimple-like scar on his father’s forearm was from one of PA CROW’s bullets.

During his days in Debaria, Roland discovered just how widespread the influence of the glorified harrier, JOHN FARSON, had become. According to Peavy’s not-so-good deputy, STROTHER, many people in Debaria were so sick of the riffraff in town that they were ready to throw in their lot with Gileads’ greatest enemy.

GENERAL:
W:39, W:42, W:45, W:54, W:61
(sheriff discusses whoremasters, gamblers, ranchers, drifters),
W:62
(sheriff discusses drunk cowpunchers and farmhands),
W:270–77
(watching),
W:278
(three dozen dead),
W:294
(women)

ALORA FARM CHARACTERS:
See
SKIN-MAN
: SKIN-MAN’S VICTIMS

BLACKSMITH:
Debaria’s blacksmith plays a small but important role in Roland’s plan to defeat the flesh-eating SKIN-MAN. Despite the hot wind blowing across town (and the fact that Debaria no longer has a fire department), this blacksmith agrees to fire up his forge so that he can construct the only weapon that will kill a shapeshifter—a silver bullet. The blacksmith’s diligence is probably encouraged by the three gold knuckles that Roland shakes into his palm. However, his admiration for Roland’s weaponry could also be a factor. (When Roland tells the blacksmith that a shell from his gun holds fifty-seven grains of gunpowder, the smith is shocked. “Gods!” he says. “It’s a wonder the barrel of your revolver don’t bust when’ee pull the trigger!”) W:98–99, W:100, W:101, W:283, W:285