--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We were almost back to the jail with our…" description: "\"“We were almost back to the jail with our second load, and I was just beginning to think we might pull this off, when Uncle Wiggens wandered into the s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/kristin-levine-50700_robert-e-lee_we-were-almost-back-to-the-jail-with-our_978447.jpg" --- # We were almost back to the jail with our second load, and… ![“We were almost back to the jail with our second load, and I was just beginning to think we might pull this off, when Uncle Wiggens wandered into the street. 'Who there?' he called out, his words slurred. Emma ducked behind a tree, but I didn't move fast enough. 'Is that you, Dit?' I nodded…” quote by Kristin Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/kristin-levine-50700_robert-e-lee_we-were-almost-back-to-the-jail-with-our_978447.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/kristin-levine-50700_robert-e-lee_we-were-almost-back-to-the-jail-with-our_978447.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/kristin-levine-50700_robert-e-lee_we-were-almost-back-to-the-jail-with-our_978447.jpg) > ““We were almost back to the jail with our second load, and I was just beginning to think we might pull this off, when Uncle Wiggens wandered into the street. 'Who there?' he called out, his words slurred. Emma ducked behind a tree, but I didn't move fast enough. 'Is that you, Dit?' I nodded. Something was strange about him. 'What you doing out so late at night?' he asked. 'Nothing.' I figured out what was strange. 'Where's your leg?' I asked. His leg ended at the knee and he was hopping along on one leg and his cane. 'Left it at home,' said Uncle Wiggens. 'Always do when I'm sleepwalking. My daughter warned me about drinking a whole bottle of whiskey in one sitting. But I was never one to let a woman tell me what to do.' 'Yeah. Me neither.' 'Well,' said Uncle Wiggens, 'I'd best get on home before I wake up.' 'Yeah.' 'Being without my leg and all.' 'That would be embarrassing.' 'Sure would. Sure would.' Uncle Wiggens mumbled to himself as he wandered off. 'General Lee always said, if you ain't got all your supplies, don't ride into battle. Course he meant bullets, but he wouldn't have liked us going off without our legs neither. Course most of us have our legs buttoned on, but...”” [Kristin Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-levine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A drunken, limping man confronts his own absurdity, reflecting on the futility of pretensions and the inevitability of personal flaws. **In simple terms:** A man pretends his missing leg is a joke, revealing deeper insecurities. Key Takeaway Accept imperfections and avoid masking them with humor. Themes self‑deprecation absurdity identity vulnerability humor Mood wry reflective melancholic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - nighttime encounters - drunken confessions - personal reflection - social interaction Key Concepts Existential absurdity self‑image social performance Questions to Reflect On - What does the missing leg symbolize about personal inadequacy? - How does humor affect honesty in relationships? A Different Perspective Humor can hide deeper issues, preventing genuine connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [General lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-lee/) [Robert-e-lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robert-e-lee/) ## Related quotes > [“Then the Union forces burned the University of Alabama.' Uncle Wiggens opened and closed his fists, wriggling his fingers. I think they were supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-levine/then-the-union-forces-burned-the-university-of-alabama-uncle-wiggens/) [Kristin Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-levine/) > [“Uncle Wiggens ain't really my uncle, everyone just calls him that. He's over eighty and fought in the War Between the States. 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'Is that you, Dit?' I nodded. Something was strange about him. 'What you doing out so late at night?' he asked. 'Nothing.' I figured out what was strange. 'Where's your leg?' I asked. His leg ended at the knee and he was hopping along on one leg and his cane. 'Left it at home,' said Uncle Wiggens. 'Always do when I'm sleepwalking. My daughter warned me about drinking a whole bottle of whiskey in one sitting. But I was never one to let a woman tell me what to do.' 'Yeah. Me neither.' 'Well,' said Uncle Wiggens, 'I'd best get on home before I wake up.' 'Yeah.' 'Being without my leg and all.' 'That would be embarrassing.' 'Sure would. Sure would.' Uncle Wiggens mumbled to himself as he wandered off. 'General Lee always said, if you ain't got all your supplies, don't ride into battle. Course he meant bullets, but he wouldn't have liked us going off without our legs neither. 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