The book opens with a vivid description of a collision between two trucks on Highway 17 in rural McIntosh County, Georgia. The white sheriff of the county, Tom Poppell, arrives on the scene of the accident. Greene describes Poppell’s personality—he likes to curse, and he dresses nicely—and mentions the family dynasty of Poppell sheriffs in McIntosh County. Tom’s father, Ad Poppell, held the position before Tom. The prologue introduces the corruption and nepotism that pervades McIntosh County through Sheriff Tom Poppell: “If he hadn’t died, Tom’d still be sheriff […] and he died unindicted” (3)

Local black residents begin to trickle into the scene of the accident; black individuals form the majority of residents in this wooded part of rural McIntosh County. Many of the black community members greet Poppell warmly. Poppell allows the residents to take possession of the goods—in this case, shoes—that have fallen from the trucks. The prologue cites remarks from McIntosh residents, who describe the sheriff’s benevolence in allowing the poor residents of McIntosh to take their spoils from the “rich Yankees” and truckers traveling down south to Miami, as well as the other ways in which the sheriff will go out of his way to help his people.