Summary

In “Backpedaling” the speaker is at a party playing quarters against the host, a boy named Johnny. The speaker says she is winning, however by that she means she is “not one of the boys but … the next best thing,” and by that she means she is “a girl and [she is] drunk” (23). They play quarters until the speaker’s knuckles bleed, and after deciding she has won too much, she intentionally misses a shot. 30 minutes later Johnny is dragging her out of the bathroom as the blood from her knuckles stains the carpet. The speaker remarks on how “johnny is the kind of guy who sleeps with a gun, not women,” but that he is always the one inviting her over (23). One day, however, she is working a double shift and misses Johnny’s call, only to find out he had been...