Insomnia
First published: 1994
Characters
Links: "Pursuit", by Stephen Dobyns
Ralph Roberts has a problem: he isn't sleeping so well these days. In fact, he's hardly sleeping at all. Each morning, the news conveyed by the bedside clock is a little worse: 3:15...3:02...2:45...2:15. The books call it "premature waking"; Ralph, who is still learning to be a widower, calls it a season in hell. He's begun to notice a strangeness in his familiar surroundings, to experience visual phenomena that he can't quite believe are hallucinations. Soon, Ralph thinks, he won't be sleeping at all, and what then? A problem, yes - though perhaps not so uncommon, you might say. But Ralph has lived his entire life in Derry, Maine, and Derry isn't like other places, as millions of Stephen King readers will gladly testify. They remember It, also set in Derry, and know there's a mean streak running through this small New England city; underneath its ordinary surface awesome and terrifying forces are at work. The dying, natural and otherwise, has been going on in Derry for a long, long time. Now Ralph is part of it. So are his friends. And so are the strangers they encounter.
Characters
| Amos | On the radio show "Amos and Andy" |
| Andy | On the radio show "Amos and Andy" |
| Barbie | Name of a doll |
| Beavis | Of Beavis and Butt-Head fame |
| Butt-Head | Of Beavis and Butt-Head fame |
| Captain Ahab | Mentioned in passing |
| Centurions | Crimson King's servants and helpers. This is also what the Friends of Life call their major enemies. |
| Dovels | Band liked by Ralph Roberts |
| Frodo | Character in a book by J R R Tolkien |
| Futzy | Cat of Bertha Roberts |
| Gandalf | Character in a book by J R R Tolkien |
| Geraldo | TV Show Host |
| Gretel | Character from a children's story Hansel and Gretel |
| Hamburglar | Mentioned in passing |
| Hamlet | Character in a play by Shakespeare |
| Hansel | Character from a children's story Hansel and Gretel |
| Jack | Character from the children's story Jack and the Beanstalk |
| Jack the Ripper | English murderer mentioned in passing |
| Jefferson Airplane | Band that was played by Ed Deepneau |
| Jesus | Mentioned in passing |
| Job | Character in the Bible |
| Jonah | Swallowed by a whale |
| Ken | Name of doll |
| King Arthur | Mentioned in passing |
| King Herod | Mentioned by Ed Deepneau |
| Napoleon | Mentioned by Joe Wyzer |
| Onan | From the Bible |
| Pallas | A bust of Pallas was in a dream of Ralph Roberts |
| Rex | Dog of Ralph Roberts |
| Rolling Stones | Mentioned by Ed Deepneau |
| Rosalie | The black and tan beagle pup given to Ralph Roberts from Lois Roberts for Christmas 1994. |
| Rosalie | Stray Dog with a bad leg that is often seen in the early hours of the morning by Ralph Roberts. |
| Rude Dog | TV character mentioned in passing |
| Sauron | Character in a book by J R R Tolkien |
| Short Timers | Name used for mortals by the Bald Doctors. |
| Snoopy | Cartoon character |
| Son of Sam | Murderer whose real name is David berkowitz |
| Wendy | Character from Peter Pan |
| Winston Smith | Cat in "Back Pages" shop. Owned by Hamilton Davinport. |
| Yorick | Character in a play by Shakespeare |
| ?, Alice | Lois Chasse was called "Alice" by Ralph Roberts in front of the CBS crews at the Derry Civic Center |
| ?, Alice | Mentioned in a song by Grace Slick |
| ?, Audra | Secretary of Dr Hong. |
| ?, Aunt Sadie | Ralph Roberts imagined her calling someone |
| ?, Curley | One of the 3 Stooges |
| ?, Deanie | Name on the footpath. |
| ?, Denise | Mentioned in anti-abortion literature read by John Leydecker |
| ?, Jake | Owner of a battered saxophone in Atropos's lair. |
| ?, Justin | Boy who works weekends at the Derry Library |
| ?, Karl | Worked at the Red Apple convenience store. |
| ?, Larry | One of the 3 Stooges |
| ?, Melanie | Friend of Helen Deepneau |
| ?, Merrilee | Pregnant woman who died at High Ridge |
| ?, Mina | Friend of Lois Chasse |
| ?, Moe | One of the 3 Stooges |
| ?, Norton | Lois Chasse called Ralph Roberts "Norton" in front of the CBS crews at the Derry Civic Center |
| ?, Patrick | Grandfather of Patrick Danville |
| ?, Pete | Paperboy |
| ?, Peter | Security guard at WomanCare |
| ?, Sadie | Aunt mentioned on the telephone |
| ?, Sam | A mother was heard to yell out for Sam to come inside, and to bring his sister in too. |
| ?, Sam | Name on the footpath. |
| ?, Sue | Worked at the Red Apple convenience store |
| ?, Susy | Her name was spray painted on the side of the Diesel Shed at the Derry Trainyards |
| ?, Tim | A little boy that was walking with his mother. |
| ?, Vic | Brother of Lois Chasse |
| ?, Zoe | Waitress at the Derry Diner. |
| Ackerman, William | Musician mentioned in passing |
| Altoberg, Chris | Weather forecaster on TV for News at Noon |
| Anderson, ? | Husband of Rachel Anderson. |
| Anderson, Rachel | Cleaner at WomanCare. |
| Anderson, Steve | Assistant District Attorney |
| Andrews Sisters | Singers mentioned in passing |
| Animals, The | Band that was played by Ed Deepneau |
| Applebaum, ? | Owner of a house on Harris Ave in 1998. |
| Arnold, Rosanne | Guest on the TV show hosted by Whoopi Astaire, Fred, Dancer mentioned in passing |
| Atropos | Bald Doctor #3. The bad one who is the rogue agent of the random. |
| Bach | Composer mentioned in passing |
| Baggins, Bilbo | Found a ring and gave it to his grandson Frodo |
| Baggins, Frodo | Grandson of Bilbo |
| Barrett, ? | Owner of an orchard that was converted into High Ridge in the early 1980's |
| Bates, Norman | Character in Psycho mentioned in passing |
| Beethoven | Composer mentioned in passing |
| Bennigan, Harriet | Old woman in Derry who uses a walker. |
| Benson, Lisette | TV Newscaster for News at Noon. |
| Berkowitz, David | Murderer known as the Son of Sam |
| Berlin, Irving | Songwriter mentioned in passing |
| Bowe, Riddick | Boxer mentioned in passing |
| Bowers, Oscar (Butch) | Berta Roberts told her son Ralph to make sure Butch did not put any bad potatoes at the bottom of the basket |
| Boynton, Tony | Name written in graffiti in the male port-a-potty in Strawford Park. |
| Brolin, James | Actor mentioned in passing |
| Brown, Charlie | Cartoon Character |
| Buchanan, Pat | A poster for Pat as president was in the window of a store in Derry |
| Buck, Frank | Hero in old movies |
| Bundy, Ted | Murderer mentioned in passing |
| Bunyan, Paul | There is a plastic statue of him in Derry, outside the Civic Center |
| Burdon, Eric | In the Bold and the Beautiful on TV |
| Caesar, Augustus | Mentioned in passing |
| Callan, Marie | Told Lois Chasse about the demonstration at WomanCare |
| Casey, Ben | On a TV show watched by Ralph Roberts |
| Castonguay, Simone | Aunt of Barbara Richards who worked at WomanCare as the day receptionist. Friend of Lois Chasse. |
| Chapin, Lafayette (Faye) | Friend of Ralph Roberts |
| Chasse, Harold | Son of Lois and Paul. Husband of Janet. |
| Chasse, Janet | Wife of Harold. |
| Chasse, Lois | Friend of Ralph Roberts. Mother of Harold and widow of Paul. |
| Chasse, Paul | Deceased husband of Lois. |
| Cherney, Pete | Weather man on TV |
| Cheshire Cat | From Alice in Wonderland |
| Christie, Agatha | Mystery author mentioned in passing |
| Chung, Connie | CBS reporter at the rally for Susan Day in Derry |
| Churchill, Winston | Mentioned by Joe Wyzer. |
| Clinton, Bill | President followed by the Deepneau's |
| Clotho | Bald doctor #1. Partner of the Bald Doctor 2, Lachesis. They end life with purpose. |
| Cohen, ? | Derry Mayor |
| Cook, Robin | Author mentioned in passing |
| Cooper, Gary | Actor mentioned by Bill McGovern |
| Coughlin, Father | Derry Priest |
| Cox, Dale | County Prosecutor mentioned in passing |
| Crane, Ichabod | Mentioned in passing |
| Creed, Gage William | Boy run down by a speeding tanker in Ludlow. |
| Creeley, Robert | Poet who wrote "for Love, Poems 1950-1960" read by Dorrance Marstellar |
| Crimson King, The | He is part of the Dark Tower, in the levels above mortals. |
| Cruise, Tom | Actor mentioned in passing |
| Crystal, Billy | Actor mentioned in passing |
| Cubbins, Bartholomew | Character in a Dr Seuss book called The Five Hundred Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins |
| Dahmer, Jeffrey | Murderer mentioned in passing |
| Dalton, Daniel | Runs the shop Secondhand Rose, Secondhand Clothes in Derry, and the head of "Friends of Life". |
| Danville, ? | Husband of Sonia. Father of Patrick. |
| Danville, Patrick | Ralph and Lois have to save his life at any costs. |
| Danville, Sonia | Mother of Patrick |
| Darrow, Clarence | Mentioned in passing |
| Davenport, Hamilton | Proprietor of "Back Pages" store on the corner of Witcham and Main streets, Derry. |
| Day, Susan Edwina | Political activist and author. Co-founder and ex-president of the "Sisters in Arms", a womans equal rights group. |
| Deepneau, ? | Father of Ed Deepneau. |
| Deepneau, Edward (Ed) | Neighbor of Ralph Roberts. Husband of Helen. Research chemist at Hawking Industries. |
| Deepneau, Helen | 30 Year old wife of Edward, and mother of Natalie. Good friend of the Roberts family. |
| Deepneau, Natalie | Daughter of Ed and Helen Deepneau. |
| DeMille, Cecil | Movie director |
| Deschain, Roland | Gunslinger drawn and described by Patrick Danville |
| Disney, Walt | Mentioned in passing |
| Dobyns, Stephen | Author of "Cemetery Nights", a book that Dorance Marstellar gave to Ralph Roberts |
| Douglas, Kirk | In the Bold and the Beautiful on TV |
| Dubay, Steven Bishoff | One of the 3 unnamed boys that threw Adrian Mellon to his death in the Derry Canal in 1984 |
| Dugan, Mr. | Head of Derry Trust's Loan Department |
| Dukakis | Ran for president in 1988 |
| Durgin, Paul | Druggist at Rexall in Derry. |
| Eastwood, Clint | Actor mentioned in passing |
| Eberly, Georgina | Wife of Stan. |
| Eberly, Stan | Went to school with Ralph Roberts, Husband of Georgina. |
| Eichmann, Adolf | Fay Chapin called Harley Pederson Adolf Eichmann as an insult. |
| Einstein, Albert | Charles Pickering looked like a cross between Don King and Albert Einstein |
| Engstrom, Charles | Childhood friend of Ralph Roberts |
| Executioner, The | Character in a Dr Seuss book called The Five Hundred Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins |
| Fauntleroy, Little Lord | Mentioned in passing |
| Felton, Frank | One of the "Friends of Life" |
| Fitzgerald, F. Scott | Auhor mentioned in passing by Ralph Roberts |
| Fonda, Henry | Actor mentioned in passing |
| Forbes, Anthony | Hypnotist that Joe Wyzer suggested that Ralph Roberts go and see. |
| Foster, R.H. | Name on a card given to Ralph Roberts by Trigger Vachon. |
| Garfunkel, Art | Singer |
| Garton, John | Webber One of the 3 unnamed boys that threw Adrian Mellon to his death in the Derry Canal in 1984 |
| Gibson, Mel | Actor mentioned in passing |
| Ginsberg, Allen | Poet mentioned by Dorrance Marstellar |
| Goldberg, Whoopi | TV Show host seen by Ralph Roberts on late night TV |
| Great Ones, The | People whose lives will affect people on more than one level of the tower. |
| Hagen, Donna | Derry Police Officer |
| Hall, James | A Wrote a book "Patterns of Dreaming" that Ralph Roberts read in the Derry Library |
| Hall, Jon | Hero in old movies |
| Halliday, June | Counselor and WomanCare director. |
| Hamilton, Dr. | Doctor at WomanCare |
| Hanlon, Mike | Librarian at Derry Public Library |
| Hanscom, Benjamin | Architect who designed the Derry Civic Center. |
| Harper, Dr. Roberta | Works at WomanCare |
| Haycox, Ernest | Mentioned in passing |
| Hayman, Howard | Lawyer friend of John Leydecker |
| Henderson, Richard | Did chores around Lois Chasse's mother's place when Lois was 17. |
| Hitler, Adolph | Mentioned on a card by a pro-choice group |
| Holmes, Sherlock | Mentioned in passing |
| Homer, Winslow | Artist whose prints hang in the Derry Home Hospital |
| Hong, James Roy | Acupuncturist |
| Hooker, John Lee | Singer/songwriter that was played by Ed Deepneau |
| Hussein, Saddam | Mentioned in passing |
| Huston, Mr. | Butcher in Derry |
| Jackson, Michael | Singer mentioned in passing |
| Jamal, Dr. | Neurologist at Derry Hospital. |
| Jetson, George | Cartoon Character mentioned in passing |
| Johnson, ? | Police Chief in Derry. |
| Johnson, Lyndon | President of the USA |
| Joubert, Ray | Murderer mentioned in passing |
| Kaltenborn, H.V. | Singer mentioned in passing |
| Kennedy, Robert | Politician assassinated in LA. on 5 June 1958 |
| Kern, Jerome | Songwriter mentioned in passing |
| Kevorkian, Dr. | He believes in mercy killing, and the right to die |
| Kildare, Dr. | On a TV show watched by Ralph Roberts |
| King, Don | Charles Pickering looked like a cross between Don King and Albert Einstein |
| King, The | Character in a Dr Seuss book called The Five Hundred Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins |
| Kirkland, John | WomanCare reporter on TV News at Noon. |
| L'Amour, Louis | Mentioned in passing |
| Lachesis | Bald doctor #2 Partner of the Bald Doctor 1, Clotho. They end life with purpose. |
| Land, Edwin | Mentioned by John Leydecker |
| Lecter, Hannibal | Mentioned in passing |
| Lennon, John | Ed Deepneau wore "John Lennon Specs" |
| Leno, Jay | TV Show host seen by Ralph Roberts on late night TV |
| Leonard, Elmore | Author mentioned in passing |
| Lewis, Jerry | Comedian mentioned in passing |
| Leydecker, ? | Mother of John. |
| Leydecker, John (Jack) | Detective Sergeant Partner of Chris Nell |
| Litchfield, Carl | Ralph and Carolyn Roberts' doctor. |
| Locher, May | Married name of May Perrault, and went to school with Bill McGovern. |
| Lopez, Ruy | Faye Chapin thinks he is the reincarnation of Ruy Lopez |
| Lugosi, Bela | Actor in a vampire movie |
| Lupino, Ida | Actress from the 1950's |
| Lyford, George | Accountant (CPA) that had an office on Harris Ave in Derry. Next to Maritime Jewelry |
| Marstellar, Dorrance | Oldest of the "Harris Avenue Old Crocks" |
| Martin, Dean | Comedian mentioned in passing |
| Marx, Groucho | Comedian mentioned in passing |
| Matthews, Tom | Derry News photographer |
| McCheese, Mayor | Mentioned in passing |
| McClanahan, Bob | Sports reporter on TV for News at Noon |
| McClure, Shawna | Offered Ralph Roberts an insomnia cure by concentrating on the word "cool". |
| McDonald, Ronald | Mentioned in passing |
| McGee, Fibber | Radio program host |
| McGovern, William D (Bill | Professor), Gay friend of Ralph Roberts. |
| McKay, Sandra | One of the "Friends of Life", but later kicked out of the group. |
| Mellon, Adrian | Gay boy thrown into the Derry canal by 3 people in 1984, after the Canal Day Festival. |
| Miller, Glenn | Songwriter mentioned in passing |
| Monroe, Marilyn | Actress mentioned in passing |
| Moon, Vicky | Owner of tanning salon |
| Morrison, ? | New paperboy |
| Mulhare, Doc | Retired Vet in Derry. |
| Murphy, Audie | Actor mentioned in passing |
| Murray, Arthur | Arthur Murray learn to dance instructions were mentioned in passing |
| Nell, Aloysius | Retired Cop from Derry. Grandfather of Chris Nell |
| Nell, Chris | Police Officer and partner of John Leydecker, and Grandson of Aloysius. |
| Newton, Wayne | Singer |
| Norris, Chuck | Actor mentioned in passing |
| Noyes, Alfred | Poet liked by Carolyn Roberts. |
| Pan, Peter | Character from a children's story - Peter Pan |
| Pedersen, ? | Deceased wife of Harley Pedersen. |
| Pedersen, Harley | Old guy in Derry who had a fight with Faye Chapin over abortion. |
| Perot, Ross | Presidential candidate that lost to Clinton |
| Perrault, Larry | Younger brother of May Perrault. |
| Perrault, May | Maiden name of May Locher. |
| Perrine, Esther | Old lady in the same street as Ralph Roberts. |
| Petrowsky, Maggie | Part of WomanCare |
| Pickard, Dr. | Derry doctor who replaced Dr Litchfield |
| Pickering, Charles H. | Member of "Daily Bread" Right to life group. |
| Plum, Mr. | Nickname for the man who was talking to Bill McGovern in Derry Home Hospital |
| Polaroid, Richard | Mentioned by John Leydecker |
| Polhurst, Bob | Head of History Department at Derry High from 1948 to 1981 |
| Polhurst, Denise | Niece of Bob Polhurst |
| Pope, The | Mentioned in passing |
| Powers, Governor Greta Augusta | Governor mentioned as possibly using cocaine as a grad student. |
| Rapaport, Mrs. | Offered Ralph Roberts an insomnia cure |
| Rather, Dan | Works with Connie Chung on TV |
| Red King, The | In Dark Tower, The. Possibly the same as the Crimson King |
| Redbone, Leon | Name that Ralph Roberts mentions as his own during one of his jokes when he missed an entire night's sleep. |
| Rembrandt | Painter mentioned in passing |
| Richards, Barbara | niece of Simone Castunguay. Worked as a day receptionist in WomanCare. |
| Robbins, Tom | Author of "Even Cowgirls get the Blues", which was read by Ed Deepneau |
| Roberts, Bertha | Mother of Ralph. |
| Roberts, Carolyn | Wife of Ralph Roberts. Married name of Carolyn Satterwaite |
| Roberts, John | Older brother of Ralph. |
| Roberts, Lois | Married name of Lois Chasse. Second wife of Ralph Roberts |
| Roberts, Ralph | Insomniac husband of Carolyn. Works with Lois Chasse to stop Patrick Danville from being killed. |
| Rogers, Ginger | Dancer mentioned in passing |
| Rogers, Will | Mentioned in passing |
| Rosenberg, Michael | CBS Cameraman with Connie Chung at the Derry Civic Center. |
| Sales, Soupy | Faye Chapin plays chess like Soupy Sales |
| Salterwaite, Carolyn | Maiden name of Carolyn Roberts |
| Sanders, George | Actor that is good at playing psychopaths |
| Satterwaite, ? | Sister of Carolyn Satterwaite |
| Sawyer, Tom | Mentioned in passing |
| Schwarzenegger, Arnold | Action movie actor |
| Scrooge, Ebenezer | Mentioned in passing |
| Seagal, Steven | Action movie hero. |
| Seuss, Dr. | Children's story author |
| Shaara, Michael | Wrote "Killer Angels", a book on the civil war |
| Shakespeare, William | Playwrite mentioned in passing |
| Shirer, ? | Wrote "Rise and fall of the Third Reich†|
| Shoemaker, ? | Husband of Candy Shoemaker. |
| Shoemaker, Candy | Friend of Helen Deepneau. |
| Simon, Paul | Singer/songwriter |
| Slick, Grace | Singer/songwriter |
| Smith, Margaret Chase | Charles Pickering thought she was a Russian spy in the 1960's |
| Spague, Duffy | Barber in Derry. |
| Sparkmeyer, Lennie | Ex-boyfriend of Barbara Richards in College. |
| Stalin | Mentioned on a card by a pro-choice group |
| Stallone, Sylvester | Action movie actor |
| Steadman, ? | Judge |
| Sullivan, John L. | Boxer mentioned in passing |
| Sullivan, Pete | Paperboy that delivered the paper to Ralph Roberts. |
| Tandy, George | Derry Councilor |
| Tandy, John | Had a car accident with Ed Deepneau. |
| Therriault, Bobby | Told Ralph Roberts about catfish barbs causing paralysis as a child. |
| Tillbury, ? | Husband of Gretchen Tillbury. |
| Tillbury, Gretchen | WomanCare counselor |
| Tolkien, J.R.R. | Author of fantasy books |
| Travolta, John | Actor mentioned in passing |
| Turner, Lana | In the Bold and the Beautiful movie on TV |
| Tyson, Mike | Boxer mentioned in passing |
| Unwin, Christopher Phillip | One of the 3 unnamed boys that threw Adrian Mellon to his death in the Derry Canal in 1984 |
| Utterback, Steve | Derry Police Detective |
| Vachon, Marcel | Older Brother of Trigger Vachon. |
| Vachon, Trigger | Worked for Hospital parking garage in April 1993. |
| Van Damme, Jean-Claude | Action movie actor |
| Vandermeer, ? | Wife of Jimmy. |
| Vandermeer, Jimmy | Used to travel with Ralph Roberts before Ralph got a desk job. |
| Veazie, Don | Friend of Ralph Roberts |
| Warper, Dr. Roberta | Chief Administrator of WomanCare. |
| Washington, George | USA president |
| Wayne, John | Actor mentioned in passing |
| Weatherbee, ? | Mother of Billy Weatherbee. |
| Weatherbee, Billy | His cap was in Atropos's lair. |
| Wheaton, Emma | Derry Councilor |
| Whitman, Walt | Poet read by Dorrance Marstellar |
| Who, The | Band that was played by Ed Deepneau |
| Wilbert, ? | Wife of David Wilbert. |
| Wilbert, David | Derry cop |
| Willkie, ? | A political button with his name was worn by Berts Roberts |
| Winfrey, Oprah | TV Show Host |
| Wren, Thomas | Kidney patient in room 310 of Derry Home Hospital. |
| Wyzer, ? | Ex-wife of Joe Wyzer. |
| Wyzer, Joe | Works at the Rite Aid Pharmacy in Derry. |
| Zell, Fred | Husband of Lisa. |
| Zell, Lisa | Wife of Fred. |
Links: "Pursuit", by Stephen Dobyns
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