I understand Jess isn't doing well, long term use of spray paint and unfiltered cigarettes aren't good for the lungs. The last time I saw him out and about was roughly ten years ago, cruising the strip malls on 119 south of Charleston in an old Crown Vic in full Elvis mode just before Christmas.
One of his Aunts was my first grade teacher. She and her sister married the first fellas they could find to take them out of Boone County. There is no in between with that bunch, either they're respectable folks, or they're like Jess. I would go to Boone County with my teacher's sister and her kids to keep Jess from thumping on her son. If you look up "peckerwood" in the dictionary you'll see Jess smilin' back at you.
We were fishing one day in the early 70's when Jess and one of his reform school buddies came down the bank with their latest discovery, copper spray paint. They tried to shake us down and we all got in a fight. It wasn't much of a fight, those two weren't about risk dropping those Wonderbread bags full spray-paint soaked paper towels in the Coal. We sent them running down river, pelting them rocks.
I wouldn't piss on Jess if his head was on fire.