The Turning of Waitey McColl: A Native American Young Adult Experiences a Life-altering Moment of Truth

Waitey McColl is a bored Native American, working as a hotel night clerk, in the "Cherokee Badlands" of Oklahoma. The time is 1921. Late one night, the notorious outlaw Henry Starr sneaks in and introduces himself as Cousin Henry. Waitey is intimidated, but likes the handsome robber and silent film movie actor. Under duress, he allows the gang to rest-up. They leave in a stolen Stutz Bearcat at dawn, and rob a bank in Harrison, Ark. In the commotion of a wild getaway, they lose the posse and sneak through roadblocks back to the hotel, forcing Waitey to give them shelter. They take guests and Mary Jane Tenkiller, Waitey's sweetheart, captive. Desperate, he devises a code to get help from the town's iconic sheriff. With a hidden Colt 45 and wild shooting, Waitey holds off the bandits. After tense hours, he decides the sheriff is not coming. In a dramatic climax, he concocts another daring plan that will change his life forever.