Stephen King: The Long Walk: Warnings

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Compares Most Common interpretation to what actually happens

Notes:

• This lists most of the main warnings in the book with any details.
• Page numbers are from Kindle for Windows
• Excerpt content was copy/pasted from ePub book, and sometimes edited down to be brief and clear.
• There are two types of Warnings
  1. Timer Warning: when walker timer counts down to 90 (first), 60 (second), or 30 (third).
  2. Violation Warning: A violation that causes walker timer to drop to 90 (first), 60 (seconds), 30 (third), or 0 (ticket) depending if walker timer is more than 90, 60, 30 or 0.
     Examples:
     1. Hindering, attacking or endangering another walker
     2. Accepting assistance from a spectator (includes food, drink, and medical assistance)
• Timer starts at 120 seconds then counts down when walker speed in the correct direction, drops below 4 mph
• Walking 4+ mph in the correct direction for 1 hour, removes a warning (adjusts walker timer)
  • 1 warning: timer 90 or less and greater than 60 - resets to 120 (no warnings)
  • 2 warnings: timer 60 or less and greater than 30 - resets to 90 (1 warning)
  • 3 warnings: timer 30 or less and greater than 0 - resets to 60 (2 warnings)
• 4 Excerpts which establish that each walker has a 2-minute timer
  1. Even when you’re walking with no warnings, there’s only two minutes between you and the inside of a cemetery fence.
  2. Kid was so scared he just froze up at nine o’clock. Just couldn’t move. He took his three warnings and then at 9:02 AM they gave him his ticket.
  3. He was being second-warned, but of course he was beyond hearing, and when his two minutes were up they shot him like a dog.
  4. Two minutes you’ll have to see her, unless you should miss her in the crowd
• These excerpts are actually oversimplified and misleading and therefore wrong, and cause people to think about warnings the wrong way.
  1. They gave you three warnings. The fourth time you fell below four miles an hour you were ... well, you were out of the Walk. You don't get warnings each time you fall below 4 mph. See above for how it really works.
  2. He hadn't expected anyone-not even Stebbins-to get a ticket until late afternoon at least. He thought of Barkovitch. All he had to do was fall below speed once in the next hour. This is wrong because Barkovitch still had maybe 10 seconds left on his timer. Falling under 4 mph would not buy him a ticket unless his timer counted down to zero.

Page	Walker	What happened	Excerpt	Most likely interpretation	Actual reason warned
p016	Stebbins	Slowed to test speed	Warning! Warning 88! Olson: Smart. The guy takes a warning while he’s still fresh and gets an idea of where the limit is.	Warned for slowing (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p019	Barkovitch	Stopped to remove stone from shoe	Warning! Warning 5! Barkovitch: I’ve got a stone in my shoe!. Barkovitch stopped completely and took off his shoe. He shook a tiny pebble out of it.	Warned for stopping (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p019	Barkovitch	Smoothed sock	Second warning, 5. He smoothed his sock carefully over the arch of his foot.	Warned for not walking (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 60 (second warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p019	Barkovitch	Brush off pants	Third warning, 5. Final warning. He paused to brush some road dirt from the knees of his pants. Then he broke into a trot, caught up with the group, and settled back into his walking pace.	Warned for not walking (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 30 (third warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p025	Garraty	Stops to kiss a girl	Hardly aware of what he was doing, he put one hand on a round buttock and squeezed gently. Warning! Warning 47!	Warned for kissing a girl or touching her buttock (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p031	Curly	Slowed due to leg cramp	Warning! Warning 7! Curly: I’ve got a charley horse!	Warned for walking too slow (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p031	Curly	Slowed due to leg cramp	Warning! Warning 7! Third warning, 7! Curly: It ain’t no fair if you’ve got a charley horse!	Warned for walking too slow (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 30 (third warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p044	Ewing	Slowed due to blisters	Warning! Warning 9! This is your third warning, 9!	Warned for walking too slow (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 30 (third warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p051	McVries	Slowed to urinate walking backwards	McVries pulled a warning for slowing down too much to zip up his fly	Warned for slowing down too much (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p053	Zuck	Slowed due to stumbling	Somebody stumbled and fell and was warned and got up and went on walking with a bleeding knee.	Warned for stumbling (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p059	Zuck	Slowed due to blood loss from open cut on knee	Warning! Warning 100! Your third warning, 100!	Warned for walking too slow (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 30 (third warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p060	Gribble	Slowed to a stop while ranting at soldiers	Warning! Warning 48! Gribble: I want to see the Major, goddammit! Where is he? Well, he’s a murderer! I’ll tell him right to his face!	Warned for calling the Major a murderer (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p067	Travin	Stopped to have many bowl movements from diarrhea	Every time he squatted he picked up a warning	Warned for squatting (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning), 60 (second warning), 30 (third warning), and 0 ticket, when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
Page	Walker	What happened	Excerpt	Most likely interpretation	Actual reason warned
p079	Fenter	Slowed due to stiff foot	Warning! Warning 12! This is your final warning, 12!	Warned for walking too slow (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 30 (third warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p084	Garraty	Slowed while dozing	Warning! Warning 47! McVries: That’s you, boy. Rise and shine.	Warned for walking too slow (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p086	Garraty	Slowed to urinate walking backwards	Warning! Warning 47! Second warning, 47!	Warned for walking too slow (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 60 (second warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p088	Olson	Slowed walking up the hill	Warning! Warning 70! McVries: They’re playing your song, Olson	Warned for walking too slow (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p089	Larson	Stopped to rest	Warning, 60, Second warning. Larson: I can’t walk anymore right now, okay?	Warned for stopping (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 60 (second warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p091	Tubbins	Fainted	shot after the soldier left beside him had warned his unconscious body three times	Ticket at 3rd warning	Timer-Warned 3 times when timer reached 90, 60, 30, then ticket at 0
p101	Harkness	Slowed from laughing	This got Harkness laughing so hard he drew a warning.	Warned for laughing (wrong)	Timer-Warned: Timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p104	Rank	Interfered with walker progress	Rank took a swing at him—something expressly forbidden by the rules—and was warned for it.	Warned for taking a swing at a walker (right)	Violation-Warned: Timer dropped to 90 (first warning)
p104	Rank	Interfered with walker progress	Rank threw another punch.	Warned for taking a swing at a walker (right)	Violation-Warned: Timer dropped to 60 (second warning)
p105	Rank	Interfered with walker progress	Rank suddenly turned around and charged Barkovitch.	Warned for charging at a walker (right)	Violation-Warned: Timer dropped to 30 (third warning) for interference, not back-tracking
p121	Number 45 (wore a ridiculous loden-green trenchcoat)	Slowed due to exhaustion	Finally he did fall over and was warned.	Warned for falling over (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
Page	Walker	What happened	Excerpt	Most likely interpretation	Actual reason warned
p134	Garraty & McVries	Laughing	They both laughed then, long and hysterically, clutching each other and trying to keep walking at the same time. It was as good a way as any to put an end to the night once and for all. It went on until Garraty and McVries were both warned.	Warned for laughing (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p137	McVries	Stopped to fight soldiers	McVries: Come on down here! Put down those rifles and come on down here! I’ll show you what’s funny! Soldier: Warning, Warning 61. Second warning.	Warned for threating soldiers (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 60 (second warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p137	McVries	Stopped to fight soldiers	McVries: Come on down here! One at a time or all at once, I don’t give a shit! Soldier: Warning! Third Warning, 61, final warning.	Warned for threating soldiers (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 30 (third warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p137	Garraty	Walked in wrong direction	Garraty turned and ran back, drawing his own warning.	Warned for reversing direction (wrong)	Timer Warning: Timer counted down to 60 (second warning). Warning not for back-tracking.
p138	Garraty	Stopped to help McVries	Garraty drew his own third warning	Warned for not walking (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 30 (third warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p145	Harkness	Slowed from cramp in foot	Harkness: I got a cramp in my foot Soldier: He stopped, kneeled, and fumbled off his loafer. Soldier: Warning! Warning 49!	Warned for stopping (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p145	Harkness	Slowed from cramp in foot	He was massaging his foot now. Solider: Warning! Second warning, 49!	Warned for stopping (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 60 (second warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p145	Harkness	Slowed from cramp in foot	He dropped his shoe, grabbed for it, got two fingers on it, juggled it, and lost it. He stopped to pick it up and got his third warning.	Warned for stopping (wrong)	Timer dropped to 30 (third warning)
p157	Gribble	Stopped to kiss girl	Gribble put his hands over her breasts. She made no effort to stop him. He was warned	Gribble was warned for touching her breasts (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p157	Gribble	Stopped to kiss girl	Gribble took a second warning	Gribble was warned for kissing a girl (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 60 (second warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p157	Gribble	Stopped to kiss girl	then a third	Gribble was warned for kissing a girl (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 30 (third warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
Page	Walker	What happened	Excerpt	Most likely interpretation	Actual reason warned
p165	Baker	Stopped to move bowels	Baker dropped his britches and squatted. He was warned.	Warned for stopping (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p165	Baker	Stopped to move bowels	the soldier warn him again.	Warned for stopping (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 60 (second warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p185	Garraty	Stopped from laughing fit	Garraty nearly collapsed with laughter and drew a warning.	Warned for laughing (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p185	Garraty	Stopped from laughing fit	Garraty fell to his knees and was warned again.	Warned for laughing (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 60 (second warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p186	Garraty	Stopped from laughing fit	His knees buckled. McVries ripped him to his feet once more. Garraty’s collar tore. They were both warned. That’s my last warning, Garraty thought dimly.	Warned for laughing (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 30 (third warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p198	Number 38	Stopped because feet were crushed by halftrack	My feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee— Soldier: Warning! Warning 38!	Warned for yelling (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning), 60 (second warning), 30 (third warning), 0 (ticket) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p228	Walkers including Abraham and Parker	Walked in wrong direction	Several of the Walkers, Abraham and Collie Parker among them, broke for the shoulder at a dogtrot. All were warned. They were doing better than four an hour, but they were doing it in the wrong direction.	Warned for walking toward shoulder (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timers hit their warning thresholds
p228	Walkers including Abraham and Parker	Standing	The Long Walkers milled outside the restraining ropes, second warnings were parceled out	Warned for not walking or not heeding first warning (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 60 (second warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p230	Walkers including Abraham and Parker	Accepted food from spectator	Others were third-warned for stopping to pick up chunks of watermelon	Warned for picking up chunks of watermelon and accepting outside aid (wrong)	Timer-Warned because walker's timers counted down to warning thresholds
Page	Walker	What happened	Excerpt	Most likely interpretation	Actual reason warned
p250	Walkers	Slowed their pace under 4 mph	Warnings cracked out right and left, and Garraty realized he would be getting one for his very own soon enough. He kept his eyes fixed on Olson, forcing himself to match his pace to Olson’s.	Warned for walking under pace (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning), 60 (second warning) or 30 (third warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p254	Olson	Slowed his pace under 4 mph	He began to walk off the road. He was walking at the halftrack. Soldier: Warning. Warning 70!	Warned for walking at the halftrack (wrong)	Timer-Warned: Since Olson is no longer walking in the correct direction, his speed in the correct direction dropped under 4 mph. He might be walking greater than 4 mph, but in the wrong direction. As soon as a walker vectors off parallel to the white-line, they drop speed measured in the correct direction. Timer-Warned because his timer counted down to 90 (first warning). Note that he didn't walk off the road. If he did, he would have gotten a ticket.
p256	Stebbins	Slowed his pace under 4 mph	Stebbins dropped back quickly. Soldier: Warning! Warning 88!	Warned for dropping back too quickly (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p257	Garraty and McVries	Garraty stopped to kneel besides Olson, and McVries stopped to get Garraty walking again	He ran over to Olson and fell on his knees beside him. “Warning! Warning 47!!” “Warning! Warning 61!!” McVries was pulling at him.	Warned to get walking again (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p272	Garraty	Garraty stopped to move his bowels	He nervously unbuckled his belt, paused, then, grimacing, shoved his pants down with one hand held protectively across his genitals, and squatted. Soldier: Warning! Warning 47!	Warned for moving bowels (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p283	Garraty	Slowed to let others catch up	He dropped back too fast, got a warning	Warned for dropping back too fast (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p290	Scramm and Mike	Walked the wrong direction then stood	Mike and Scramm did an abrupt about-face and began to walk toward the crowd. The two boys were warned, and as they reached the guardrails that bordered the road	Warned for walking toward crowd (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p290	Scramm and Mike	Stood giving finger to halftrack saying insults	they about-faced smartly and faced the oncoming halftrack. Two middle fingers stabbed the air in unison. “I fucked your mother and she sure was fine!” Scramm cried. Mike said something in his own language. They took second warning.	Warned for disrespecting soldiers (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 60 (second warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p290	Scramm and Mike	Sat down	then sat down together, crosslegged, and began to talk together calmly. None of them looked back, not even after it was over.	Warned and ticketed to sitting down (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 30 (third warning), then 0 (ticket) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
Page	Walker	What happened	Excerpt	Most likely interpretation	Actual reason warned
p293	Garraty	Stopped for leg cramp	My leg, my leg, my leg! Soldier: Warning! Warning 47!	Warned for sitting (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p293	Garraty	Stopped for leg cramp	McVries: What is it? Charley horse? Garraty: Yeah, I guess so. Keep going. It’ll be all right. Soldier: Warning! Second warning, 47!	Warned for sitting, or ignoring first warning (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 60 (second warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p294	Garraty	Stopped for leg cramp	Garraty dug his fingers into the frozen straps and harnesses of muscle. He kneaded. He flexed. Soldier: Warning! Warning 47! Third warning, 47!	Warned for sitting, or ignoring second warning (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 30 (third warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p322	Garraty	Slowed to find Barkovitch	Garraty felt a sudden urge to drop back and look at Barkovitch. He was hard to find in the dark and Garraty drew a warning	Warned for dropping back (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p322	Barkovitch	Slowed when stumbled	Barkovitch twitched, stumbled, and was warned his third warning.	Warned for stumbling (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 30 (third warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p337	Garraty	Stopped to remove shoe	He knelt, took his warning, untied it, and took it off.	Warned for stopping (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p344	Garraty and McVries	Tried to reach girlfriend	He could see her lips form his name, and he had to reach her, had to — An arm brought him up short. It was McVries. A soldier speaking through a sexless bullhorn was giving them both first warning.	Warned for stopping (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p345	Garraty and McVries	Reaching to touch his girlfriend and mother	Jan: Ray, I love you. He could see the words on her lips. McVries was still beside him .Second warning, blared from the loudhailer	Warned for stopping, or ignoring first warning (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 60 (second warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p345	Garraty and McVries	Holding hands with girlfriend and mother	He grasped them. In one hand he held Jan’s hand, in the other his mother’s hand. He touched them. It was done. Third warning for him and McVries	Warned for stopping, or ignoring second warning (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 30 (third warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p364	Baker	Baker fell down and hit his head on the paving	Baker collected three warnings	Warned for falling and not walking (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning), 60 (second warning), and 30 (third warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
Page	Walker	What happened	Excerpt	Most likely interpretation	Actual reason warned
p373	Stebbins	Slowed from staggering	He staggered, and for only the second time since the Walk began, he was warned.	Warned for staggering (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p378	McVries	Slowed from staggering because of gust of wind	A hard gust of wind sheeted rain across them, and McVries staggered. He drew a warning	Warned for staggering (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p381	Garraty	Fell down	His vision blurred and his feet tangled up and he fell down. The pavement was hard and shockingly cold and unbelievably restful. He was warned twice before he managed to pick himself up	Warned for falling down (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 90 (first warning), and 60 (second warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p386	Stebbins and Garraty	Stebbins stumbled and slowed Garraty	Stebbins stumbled against Garraty. Both he and Stebbins were warned.	Both warned because Stebbins stumbled against Garray (wrong)	Stebbins either got a violation-warning for interfering with Garraty's progress, or slowed and got a timer-warning. If he got a violation-warning, his timer immediately dropped to 90 (first). If he got a timer-warning, then he slowed under 4 mph and his timer counted down to 90 (first). Garraty got his second warning when he slowed under 4 mph, from Stebbins stumbling against him, then his timer counted to down to 60 (second)
p387	McVries	McVries walked in the wrong direction then sat down	McVries’s head had dropped, and he was walking at the crowd, fast asleep. He sat down, cross legged on the pavement. They gave him his third warning.	Warned for stopping or sitting (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 30 (third warning) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction
p389	Stebbins	Fell down	“Oh Garraty!” he cried, and fell down. / They finished by shooting the already-dead Stebbins	Warned for falling down and not walking (wrong)	Timer-Warned because timer counted down to 60 (second warning), then 30 (third warning) then 0 (timer) when moving under 4 mph in the correct direction