Musings on the Circle (Tribute to John Joseph)

Mornin’ to ya!  Grab a chair and pull up here!  Haven’t seen you in a coon’s age, how’ve ya been?  Great to hear it!  Me?  Oh, you know, same old aches and pains but I get around.  How’s the family?  Did that new grandbaby ever make it into this ole world?  Oh, that’s just fine!  1

What?  Johnny there?  He’s harmless.  He fought in the war ya know.  Yea, Nam.  Came back  with less than he left with, but still has all his marbles if ya know what I mean.  He is just as much on the ball as you or me.  Most people won’t give him the time of day ‘cause he shakes and spudders so, but me, I think of it as he’s sort of wearin’ his badges of honor right out in plain view.  Only problem is, nobody wants to see ‘em. 2

People would rather be on their merry way than to be reminded of what people like Johnny has done for this country.  Some days, Johnny is just as good as me or you and others, well, he hollers a little.   He calls out, but I don’t think he really means to.  I don’t think he can help hisself.  To tell ya the truth, I think it bothers him more than it bothers the folks in this here little town.  This here store is the only place in town that will let him sit and drink his coffee.  3

Johnny has a regular routine set for hisself ya know.  Yup, everyday he comes by at four o’clock and gets the same thing. Two tomato sandwiches, whole, don’t dare cut em’, a bowl of corn flakes – Kellogs, just Kellogs,-- and his four cups of coffee.  Same thing each and every day. 4

Funny thing is, Johnny always pays in cash.  When most of us are a strugglin’ and wonderin’ how we will put gas in the truck or shoes on the youngin’s, Johnny there has cash and corn flakes and is happy as a pig in mud.  He just sits there at his table, eatin’ his sandwiches and drinkin’ his coffee and smokin’ his cheap cigarettes.  He don’t bother nobody and don’t want nobody botherin’ him.5

He’ll talk to ya real nice if ya start up a conversation with him, but he won’t bug ya if ya just let him be.  One day, I was droppin’ in for a bite to eat and there was no place else to sit, so I asked Johnny if I could sit with him.  Sure enough he said I reckon you can, so I pulled me up a chair and joined him.  I learned a lot about Johnny that day.6

Did ya know he has family that don’t want nothin’ to do with him?  Yea, he’s here at the home with nobody to stop by and see if he is even alive.  I think that is sort of sad.  Just nurses to help him  and he goes to the Vet’s hospital every now and again for a check up and to get more of that there medication he is on to help the shakes.  7

He has a mama somewhere, but she don’t talk to him or call, and he seems to like it that way.  He says he gets an allowance check from his guardian and that’s how he buys his clothes.  He’s always got hisself a nice pair of dungarees on so I know somebody has to be helpin’ him.  Sure wish I had more to give, but it’s all I can do to cake care of me and the youngin’s since the misses died.8

O’le Johnny there loves music, did ya know that?  Sure does!  He was actually singin’ out here one day!  Not too bad for somebody that drools on hisself most of the time and can’t get along too good.  Funny thing is, the music, which I think was mostly in his head, seemed to calm him.  He sure was happy that day.9

Yea, Johnny is alright by me, though most folks won’t go near him.  They’s afraid of him.  You can see ‘em stare after him as he walks away.  Women pull their young’ens closer and men just look at their boots like there’s a spot on them that has to come off right then.  Sad really.10

But, the folks here at this place, they treat Johnny real good,  They talk to him and help him.  They spend time with him and let him stay as long as he likes.  They don’t treat him like a disease or like chewin’ tobacco on the sidewalk.  He was havin’ a real bad day one day and I actually saw them girls in there tear up some after he left.  I don’t mind droppin’ my heard earned money in here. No sir, not at all.  There is heart here.  They got heart and they show it to Johnny.11

Well, glad you could sit with me a spell.  It was good to see you again!  Tell the misses I said howdy and hug the little ones for me.  I been meanin’ to get by, but, well, you know how it is.  I been sort of busy.  You take care now. 12