JOHNNY'S STORY

Johnny never really had a home...

     “Name him John,” the exhausted mother whispered. She was able to kiss her newborn son just before she died. Mrs. Mott, the midwife, cleaned the child thoroughly, wrapped him in a blanket, and put him in a basket by the fire. What am I to do with you? she wondered. There’s no man here. And the girl didn’t speak of relations…

 

     She decided to give Johnny to Paula Dixon. Her month-old baby had died suddenly in its crib, and she still had milk.

 

    Paula cared for Johnny until he was weaned. But she couldn’t stop grieving for her own, and passed Johnny on to the Carletons. They were childless and desperately wanted a baby. Mrs. Carleton was happy with Johnny, until she conceived. The Carletons realized there wasn’t room in their lives or hearts for more than one child, especially not one of their blood…

 

     So Johnny went to Mrs. Sedgwick, a retired school teacher who kept children who had no homes. She was paid a small stipend by the state for each one. Mrs. Sedgwick wasn’t able to give much individual attention, but she fed and clothed them well and read the Bible to them every night. Then inspectors came and closed her down, claiming that her space was inadequate for so many children.

 

     Most of the children were sent to an orphanage, John among them. It too was inadequate for so many, but the state didn’t have to pay out any money. The food was sparse and poor, the second hand clothes ragged. The rules were stringent, and punishments were harsh, even for the slightest infraction. The big children tormented the little ones. When Johnny was big himself, he was placed with a farmer named Joe Bradley. The farmer worked Johnny hard but was kind to him in his own way and taught him to read and write and do simple sums. Then Joe suffered a massive heart attack and died. Johnny was big enough now to work the farm himself, with the help of one hired man. But Joe’s relatives didn’t want the land, and they didn’t want Johnny.

 

     He didn’t go back to the orphanage but started living on the street with a gang of teenage boys. They were fairly harmless--did little more than spray graffiti here and there and do some panhandling. One night there was a turf dispute with a rival gang. Someone produced a knife. Suddenly there were tire chains. Bricks were thrown. By the time the police arrived and broke it up, two boys were dead and five injured. The others, including Johnny, were taken into custody.

 

     He was still too young to be tried as an adult, so Johnny was put into a juvenile detention center. He spent two years there, and his education was completed. He learned how to be a criminal.

 

     When Johnny “graduated” he joined another gang. These were not teenagers, nor were they harmless. Johnny made a friend named Ormy, who decided to help the learning process. “Let me see your arm, Bro,” he said. Johnny drew back. “I don’t think so.”

 

     “Hey--it’s be the greatest thing that ever happened to you. Trust me. What you got to lose?”

 

     “Nothing I guess.” And Johnny rolled up his sleeve, felt the prick of a needle…

 

     Ormy was right. This was the greatest thing ever. Johnny soared through clouds of peace he’d never known. In the distance he heard a voice calling to him: “John?”

 

     “Mother…!” he whispered. And found his home at last.

Reviews

[Taylor]

Marie, I can't say I enjoyed this story--it was far too sad and far too true. I spent many years providing addictions treatment for men who could have been your Johnny. In critiquing the story, I first thought about suggesting more descriptions, a less sparse story, but I think I would have been entirely wrong to do so. I think the bare bones nature of the narrative works well. It gives it a rather detached feeling, apropos to what Johnny experienced. The ending is the explanation of why so many youth become addicted emotionally on first use. Thank you for covering this difficult subject.

[Marie]

Well, I generally write to entertain; I don't know why this story was so depressing. I try not to deal with social issues.

[Kayja Symphious]

Quite a serious subject.

I'm not sure why, but I felt as if you were distancing yourself from the story. Don't get me wrong, the story was well penned and enjoyable... but there was a nagging sense that the story was compressed (almost like a list... or a police rap sheet.)

In someways it makes sense to write it in such a manner, because this is what society dose with such stories.

At any rate, this is good and I enjoyed reading it.

Thanks for the story, Marie.

[Marie]

Thanks. I do distance myself from stories, because I write in an impersonal manner.

[Nia Lisa]

When I look at this, I think of how so many drug or alcohol stories end with a moral message of not to do it, but this story, and how it ends with Johnny's unhealthy perspective shows a reality of what it's like, sometimes what we are going through is so much, that the lines that separate good and bad, common sense and stupid sense become blurred

[Marie]

Johnny didn't seem to have any real choice...

[Lizardo]

Wow, I really enjoyed readin this story though I felt sad because of poor johnny going through all of that... I mean imagine if that happened to someone in real life.. or has happened...
Your story really touched my heart Marie, I really enjoyed this.
Thanks for sharing it.

[Marie]

I hope this hasn't happened to anyone in real life, but I'm afraid it has...

[Lizardo]

Indeed maybe... But I hope those people are going into good stuff. Like everyone says, at the end there's happiness and light

[wordman]

marie this is got to be a true story for somebody I really enjoyed it

[Marie]

I'm glad you enjoyed the story. I hope it isn't a true story for anyone...

[wordman]

you are welcome,and I`m sure it is in part

[Woody]

a roller coaster of a life! poor Johnny! a believable story that begs the questions: is there such a thing as destiny? why are we dealt different hands when we are born? one is born in a rich family and the other is doomed from the start.
this is written in your usual beautiful penmanship, Marie.

[Marie]

THanks Woody. It's just a story. Things happen because they happen. Perhaps Johnny's Karma from a past life was catchin up with him. Perhaps his next life will be better. I don't know. I just write.

[M.E.Lyle]

A pretty sad story. I'm sure things like this actually happen. Your writing style makes it easy to read.

[Marie]

Thank you. I don't know if things like this actually do happen or not. I hope they don't.

[M.E.Lyle]

Probably more than you think.

[ANTO]

I really was surprised at the end by this one. First time was the last. Better for him if he was to get into smack or something - eventually become one of the walking dead. The end is a real tear-jerker. Superb telling Marie.

[Marie]

THe end kind of surprised me too. But Johnny never had a chance.