Annie Proulx's 55 Miles To The Gas Pump

Annie Proulx’s short story, “55 Miles to the Gas Pump,” teaches a lesson quite contrary to what the story focuses on: People can become deranged when they lose contact with other human beings and civilization. The story starts off with Rancher Croom making a turn that leads to a cliff. He takes the last swig of the beer he has made himself and jumps off the cliff to his death. Meanwhile, the story pans out to Mrs. Croom, who saws the padlocked doors open, which Mr. Croom would always warn Mrs. Croom to not open. When she looks inside, she confirms that the bodies rotting inside are Mr. Croom’s lovers, all of whom he had met at the gas pump fifty-five miles from their house and then murdered. Just as the reader believes the story to teach some sort of lesson surrounding murder, the last line takes a turn for a comedic route and gives an unexpected lesson that the reader …show more content…
Croom decides to jump to his death. I would tell him, “Mr. Croom, if you are so burdened that you have to kill the women you meet, I suggest you should look for a place closer to others. I know it's hard when you are a rancher, but I am sure there are places out there that have ranches but also have other people nearby too that can fulfill your social needs. If not, I suggest that you look for another job, and in the city too. That way there will be a lot of people for you to talk too. I believe that, with these two options, you can get yourself out of that scary habit. You must do something because if you have not noticed yet, there have been innocent lives lost in the process. I believe your wife already knows. You might as well just tell her yourself and then you two should plan to find a place that allows you to get into contact with other humans. Make some friends, enjoy life, not end it, and certainly not of others either. I believe there is still time. But if you want to make a change to it, you better start now, and better do it