Lester Billings is a scared and guilty man who tries to act tough but deep down he is full of fear. From the start he speaks in a aggresive way and does not trust the psychologist, Dr. Harper. He says, “Oh, you won’t believe it. I know what you think, just another goofy for your casebook” (l. 264-265). This shows that he expects people to think he is crazy, but he still wants to tell his story. He also tries to present himself as a responsible father, but his actions say otherwise. He admits that he leaved his son alone, even though he knew the Boogeyman would come for him: “I knew it would go for him, see. Because he was weaker. And it did” (l. 280). This suggests that he saw Andy as an easy victim and sacrificed him to save himself.
Lester Billings is also a coward. When Andy was attacked, he says, “I ran, in, I didn’t even turn on the light, I ran, ran, ran, oh, Jesus God Mary, it had him” (l. 285). Instead of saving his child, he was too afraid. Even after Andy died, Lester Billings did not face reality. He admits, “I went to an all-night diner. How’s that for complete cowardice?” (l. 293-294). This shows that he does not take responsibility for what happened. He would rather run away than deal with the truth. However, his guilt is always there, and he cannot escape it. His wife, Rita, “finally... knew” (l. 303), which suggests that even she understood what he had done. Lester Billings tries to blame the Boogeyman, but deep inside, he knows that his fear and selfishness lead to his children’s deaths.
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