In "Hands," the story vividly introduces the protagonist, Wing Biddlebaum, and his isolated existence near the town of Winesburg, Ohio. Despite his long residence, Wing remains a mystery to the townsfolk, living a life shrouded in secrecy and loneliness. His only connection is with George Willard, a young local reporter.

Wing's Solitary Existence

The narrative opens by painting a picture of Wing Biddlebaum, a reclusive figure seen pacing nervously on the dilapidated veranda of his modest home. The house is perched on the edge of a ravine, offering a view of the lively world beyond, yet Wing is detached from it. As a wagon brimming with young, vibrant people passes by, their laughter echoes across the fields, and one jokingly mocks Wing about his baldness. This interaction underscores Wing’s outsider status in the community.

A Mysterious Figure

Though Wing has resided on the outskirts of Winesburg for two decades, the townspeople remain oblivious to the true nature of their enigmatic neighbor. He is a figure of mystery, often ignored or ridiculed. However, a rare bond forms between Wing and George Willard, a youthful journalist of about twenty. George occasionally visits Wing, finding companionship and conversation in their meetings. In contrast, without George, Wing succumbs to his fears and solitude. With George's presence, however, Wing becomes animated and articulate, sharing thoughts forged in years of isolation.

The Hands That Tell a Story

Wing's hands are his most distinctive feature, earning him his peculiar nickname. They are perpetually in motion, accentuating his speech with animated gestures. Upon arriving in Winesburg, Wing was employed as a field hand, renowned for his nimble fingers that once picked an impressive one hundred and forty quarts of strawberries in a single day. George notices Wing’s peculiar habit of suddenly hiding his hands, either by clasping them behind his back or shoving them in his pockets. Although curious, George respects Wing too much to pry into the reason behind this behavior.

An Unasked Question

George recalls a particular day when he almost broached the subject. They were in the fields, and Wing was passionately advising George to break free from the constraints of the town, urging him to pursue his dreams. "You are destroying yourself," Wing implores, his hands resting on George’s shoulders to emphasize the point. Suddenly, a look of terror crosses Wing’s face, and he withdraws his hands, leaving George perplexed and alone in the field. The incident convinces George that Wing’s hands hold a painful secret, one best left unspoken.

A Past Shrouded in Misunderstanding

The mystery of Wing's hands is rooted in his past, linked to a time when he was Adolph Myers, a young teacher in a rural Pennsylvania school. Myers was a gifted educator, passionate about nurturing the minds of his students. He engaged with them during evenings, speaking as he did with George and offered comforting gestures like patting their shoulders or tousling their hair. Under his guidance, the boys dared to dream. However, one boy misconstrued Myers’s intentions, leading to accusations of inappropriate conduct. In a swift backlash, Myers was beaten by an outraged parent and expelled from the community. Fleeing through Ohio, he adopted the name "Biddlebaum" from a packing crate upon reaching Winesburg.

The Isolation of Wing Biddlebaum

To the residents of Winesburg, the circumstances of Wing’s past are unknown. Even Wing himself cannot fully comprehend what went wrong in Pennsylvania, only that his hands were somehow implicated. Now, he lives a life of solitude, estranged from friends, and constantly wary of the very hands that once defined him. As he paces his porch, Wing yearns for George’s visit to break his isolation. But as the night unfolds without George’s arrival, Wing resigns himself to another evening alone, trapped in the silence of his past.