One For The Road (short Story) - Plot Summary

Plot Summary

This tale is narrated in the first person by Booth, an elderly resident of a small town that neighbors Jerusalem's Lot, Maine. The main part of the story is set a couple of years after the events of 'Salem's Lot. Booth describes a winter's night years ago, when he and his friend, a bar owner named Herb Tooklander (Tookey), attempted to rescue the family of a motorist named Gerard Lumley, whose vehicle had become stranded in a ferocious blizzard. At first mildly contemptuous of Lumley for driving in such weather, both men are horrified when they realize that Lumley's vehicle is stranded in Jerusalem's Lot. It is widely known that "the Lot" has gone bad, but they, along with Lumley, still decide to drive out in a snow plough and attempt to save Lumley's family. Instead, they barely manage to save themselves from the man's wife and daughter, who have been turned into vampires, while Lumley himself ends up being turned by his wife. The story ends with Booth warning the reader that if they ever find themselves on the road through 'Salem's Lot, they should keep on driving and not stop for any reason.