Skip to content

But, if you've decided to go out on a limb and kill one…

“But, if you've decided to go out on a limb and kill one, for goodness' sake, be prepared. We all read, with dismay, the sad story of a good woman wronged in south Mississippi who took that option and made a complete mess of the entire thing. See, first she shot him. Well, she saw right off the bat…” quote by Jill Conner Browne
Download Open image
““But, if you've decided to go out on a limb and kill one, for goodness' sake, be prepared. We all read, with dismay, the sad story of a good woman wronged in south Mississippi who took that option and made a complete mess of the entire thing. See, first she shot him. Well, she saw right off the bat that that was a mistake because then she had this enormous dead body to deal with. He was every bit as much trouble to her dead as he ever had been alive, and was getting more so all the time. So then, she made another snap decision to cut him up in pieces and dispose of him a hunk at a time. More poor planning. First, she didn't have the proper carving utensils on hand and hacking him up proved to be just a major chore, plus it made just this colossal mess on her off-white shag living room carpet. It's getting to be like the Cat in the Hat now, only Thing Two ain't showing up to help with the clean-up. She finally gets him into portable-size portions, and wouldn't you know it? Cheap trash bags. Can anything else possible go wrong for this poor woman? So, the lesson here is obvious--for want of a small chain saw, a roll of Visqueen and some genuine Hefty bags, she is in Parchman Penitentiary today instead of New Orleans, where she'd planned to go with her new boyfriend. Preparation is everything.””

Jill Conner Browne

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A poor plan and lack of proper tools turn a desperate act into a disastrous, escalating mess.

In simple terms: Bad prep leads to bigger problems.

Key Takeaway

Always prepare with the right tools.

Themes

preparation consequences crime planning

Mood

anxious cautious

Type

cautionary narrative

When to use this quote

  • crime scene cleanup
  • DIY projects
  • emergency response
  • home repairs

Key Concepts

risk management decision making escalation

Questions to Reflect On

  • What tools would you have prepared?
  • How could you have avoided escalating the situation?
A Different Perspective

Even with preparation, unforeseen complications can arise.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Jill Conner Browne

Explore all 24 Jill Conner Browne quotes

More Good woman quotes

Browse all 292 Good woman quotes