Not the end of the world in most cases, but this particular guy is black, which her parents would probably object to and would give credence to the questionable things that hap pen in the Razorback athletic program. In ‘91 there was a major incident in the athletic dorm involving a white woman and four black Razorback scholarship basketball players that is still talked about. No charges were filed because the woman was admittedly drunk and couldn’t get her details straight, but it sent shock waves through the entire state. Who knows? Perhaps Robin Perry had mixed emotions at the time and convinced herself that she had tried to resist. Maybe we can put some pressure on the girl to drop the charge or at least reduce it. What if it had been Sarah? Would she pull a stunt like that? I can’t imagine it.

“That’s what it sounds like to me,” Roy says, as his brother nods in agreement.

“Do you know if alcohol was involved?” I ask Roy. It is obvious that he thinks of his son as a victim.

“Dade said he hadn’t had nothing to drink,” he says defensively

“I was thinking the girl might have possibly been drinking before she got there,” I respond quickly, noting this is a touchy area with the father. His problem or his son’s? Alcohol and women don’t make for the greatest combination in the world. I’ve had a few problems in that area myself.

“She could have,” James Cunningham says, his voice sounding like his brother’s. Eastern Arkansas is like Mississippi The Delta clings to your speech like rich soil.

“Even if he did,” Roy says, his voice low and sullen, “my boy never raped nobody. I didn’t raise my son to be a fool! He knows he doesn’t need to force a woman. Just like you said, he’s always had ‘em runnin’ after him.”

I glance at my neighbor, who appears slightly uncomfortable at these remarks. Less sophisticated, or perhaps just more honest, Roy Cunningham isn’t worried about how he is coming across to me.