The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963

Despite a clear warning from Grandma Sands that a whirlpool killed a young boy named Jimmy at Collier’s Landing, Kenny is torn when he, Joey, and Byron come to a choice of two paths approaching the water. One path goes to the public swimming area, and the other goes to Collier’s Landing. Kenny wants to see where the boy drowned, but Byron and Joey do not. Joey asks how the boy drowned, not having understand Grandma’s use of the word “whirlpool.” Byron tells Joey and Kenny, “You know who Winnie the Pooh is, don’t you? […] Well, the Wool Pooh is Winnie’s evil twin brother. Don’t no one ever write about him ’cause they don’t want to scare y’all kids. What he does is hide underwater and snatch stupid kids down with him” (170).

Kenny is upset at how “dull and square” Byron acts and decides to go to Collier’s Landing on his own (172). He feels he is now old enough to start having his own “Fantastic Adventures” like Byron usually enjoys at home in Flint. Kenny sees a sign warning, “SIX LIFES BEEN LOST HERE! BAD DROP OFF!” (172), but because he sees nothing strange about the calm water—and because he figures Byron would not have allowed him to come alone if the water were dangerous—Kenny decides that Joe Collier put up the warning signs to keep people off his property.