Good-bye Johnny

Opening the door and walking into the house, he heard not a sound. Everything was changed so much, yet something if its former glory remained. The fireplace still spanned the wall of the huge room, and stretched clear to heaven, or so he had thought as a child, years ago. He walked through the room taking notice to the wear and tear of the walls and the creaks of the floor boards beneath his feet. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on the memories that he had of this old fine house. The echoes of children laughing and playing bounced around in his head.

Walking into the kitchen seeing it gutted as it is, but remember many a breakfast sitting at the kitchen table, which now is missing less a ring of dust where it had been. How many really good days and evenings had he spent in this house, with those he loved, and with the ghosts that were still walking around in his mind? He still saw the faint traces of crayon in the corner where the refrigerator had been at one time.

So faded, and so lost were his thoughts in reflecting on this great house, his family home. Now, desolate and drab, empty and unloved, as even he felt now. He walked out the back door onto the porch overlooking the river and sparse trees with lush green lawn. Remembering, as a child, running back and forth with his brother and his dog, who years later; both ended up being killed in an automobile accident. Remembered how mom and dad had never gotten over the fact that Johnny was now gone, at age 16. Remembering how he cried, silently, in the comforts of his own room, behind walls where the screams and arguments which, at that time had become an everyday event, could no longer reach him, and he had his time to grieve.

The portrait of an American family fell into disarray when one important piece was ripped away without a warning. Johnny was missed, but not as much as mom and dad. His father couldn’t handle the pressure, or stress of the loss his family and neighbors found themselves in after Johnny had died. The laughter, which had been pleantiful was now hollow, and at times sickening when it came. He took to the drink and to violence.

He remembered sitting in class, in the twelfth grade and having the Principal interrupt the class and had taken him outside to deliver the news. He recalled how the Principal’s words cut him deep like he was being stabbed over and over again. His father had lost all bearing of reality, and with his buck rifle had killed his mother before turning the rifle on himself.

As he walked up the stairs to where his room had been he recalled that day when he came home, the police tape still on the door, and an officer had allowed him to go inside for a moment to collect some clothes. He remembered that his aunt Judy was there, and that she was doing her best to be strong for him, now that his family was gone, but he could see through her. He read her like an open book. She hadn’t been around much, after Johnny died, and now that his parents were gone, she embraced the opportunity with vulture-like passion to go through what was soon to be all he had left of his parents.

As he reached the top of the stairs and turned down the hall still amid the dreams of years gone by, he passed his parents room, where they were found, and recalled the horror he had felt when he had first glanced at the aftershock of the atrocity that had happened that day. He noticed that the rugs had long since vanished, taken out and destroyed but the bare wooden floors were they had been lying, today, was still tinted with the color of their blood.

Tears welled up in his eyes, again, as they had on that day, but he had a higher purpose, today, and moved towards his room, quickly. He opened the door and although all of the furniture had been long agosold by his aunt and uncle, there were still his little secrets treasure. Removing the small shoe box and being very careful not to break the contents, he replaced the loose board and opened the box.

Looking through the secret treasure he and his brother had as a child were priceless. Their G.I. Joe dolls, and Dallas Cowboy Football cards brought back the memories that he came for, the love he came for.

He walked back out of the house carrying his shoe box, and as he got into his car, he rolled down the window and told the crew they could tear the house down, now. As he drove down the street, he looked back for moment, glancing at the house through the rearview mirror and under hushed breath said, “Good-bye Johnny.”