Bud, Not Buddy: Chapter 18 Summary & Analysis

Bud and the band get into two cars to their next destination, outside of Grand Rapids. Bud has been living with the band for a week and this will be his third trip with them.

In the car, The Thug teases Dirty Deed for being white, and Dirty Deed responds that he doesn’t mind being the only white member since times are hard for white and black people alike.

Steady Eddie tells Bud that Herman always has a white person in the band for “practical reasons.” Later Dirty Deed explains that it’s unlawful for “a Negro to own any property out where the Log Cabin is,” so it had to be put in Dirty Deed’s name. Steady Eddie adds that Dirty Deed’s presence calms “white folks’” nerves when they hire the band.

Later, Bud hears the band play again and has to sit on his hands so he doesn’t clap loudly. After the show, he sleeps next to the instruments to guard them.

The next day, Bud receives bad news. Herman has decided to stay to catch up with Eugene, an old band member, so Jimmy tells Bud to finish packing things into the Packard. Afterwards, Bud will have to ride with Herman back. Herman responds with a “whatever,” and enters the club with his friend. Bud practices his flute while he waits for Herman.

Herman eventually comes out and begins kicking stones with his shoe. When Bud approaches him, he asks Bud to “make [himself] useful and help him retrieve a stone. Bud gives him the stone. As they walk towards the car, Bud asks him what he needs the rock for. Once they are in the car, Herman responds, “bad habit,” and then opens the glove box and shows him other rocks with words written on them. Bud notices the writing are of places and dates—just like the rocks from his sax case.

Bud tells him that he has rocks that are the same, but Herman misunderstands the meaning of Bud’s words, so Bud opens up his saxophone case and takes out his own rocks. He crosses his arms and waits for Herman to ask to see them, but Herman doesn’t.

Eventually they arrive at Grand Calloway Station, and while Jimmy helps them unload, Bud finally shows Herman his rocks. Herman reaches for the rocks and Bud lets him take them even though he usually doesn’t allow people to touch them.

Herman asks where he got the rocks from, but Bud doesn’t answer. Instead, he waits for an opportunity to snatch his rocks back because he’s sure he can outrun Herman. Herman asks about the rocks again, “sounding meaner than he ever had before,” prompting Jimmy to walk over quickly. Jimmy eventually stands between Bud and Herman.

Herman accuses Bud of snooping around, and Bud tells him he hasn’t been. Herman asks him again where he got the rocks from. Jimmy reads the rocks and sees that they say “Flint, Michigan, August eight, 1911,” and “Gary, Indiana, July thirteenth, 1912.”

Jimmy asks him where he got the rocks from, and Bud responds he got them from his mother. Jimmy finally asks Bud for his mother’s name. Herman begins to accuse Bud of being rude, so Bud screams out that his mother’s name is Angela Janet Caldwell.

Herman stumbles into the house, “like he’d been struck blind,” and Bud confirms that his reaction means Herman is his father. Jimmy tells him he’s wrong—he reveals to Bud that Angela Janet was Herman’s daughter’s name, meaning that Herman could be Bud’s grandfather. Bud is overjoyed to receive the news that Herman isn’t his father after all.