Oh, Johnny

This story is written in a dialogue format, as I do not wish the reader to be unduly influenced by the written expression of emotion. Therefore, it is done in the "attitude" of a play and the meaning of the story will become clear from the words of the players. There are a few descriptive passages to offer atmosphere.

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Characters:

Johnny: A boy, nine years of age who has already been taught to be a "man." Taught he must not cry; he must be strong, physically, mentally, and emotionally. But most of all, he must find his own way to respect. Self-respect? Heavens no! A "man" must have the respect of others.

Shorty: Another child of about nine with the same background. He is small for his age, thus the nickname. Shorty weighs more than most of the boys his age. He and Johnny are not technically friends. They are acquainted and hang together, but don't like each other much

Mrs. Jones: A middle-aged woman who is overweight but not obese. She lives in the same neighborhood as the children, is widowed (no children), and works part-time at the local grocery store as a bookkeeper. She loves the neighborhood and its kids. The children don't know her, some don't like her, and none of them visit her.

Setting:

It is in a small, mid-western town in the late 1950s. Johnny is not well educated and from a low-income family, as are most of the other people in this neighborhood. The story takes place one afternoon in the middle of summer, just outside of Mrs. Jones’ house.

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Johnny: "Oh yes I can do anything. I'm a man. I'm not afraid."

Shorty: "That's stupid, you're a kid like me. You are so afraid. You can't do it."

Johnny: "I can so."

Shorty: "I bet ya can't neither."

Johnny: "Okay, what 'ja want me to do? I’ll prove it."

Shorty: "I bet ya won't go tell Mrs. Jones that she's fat. She's creepy and she's fat and I don't like her:"

Johnny thinks to himself: "Oh, that's easy. I bet she already knows she's fat."

Johnny: "Okay, I said I could. But what do I git if I win? You said a bet."

Shorty: “I’ll give you two of my jaspers and one of my aggies. But only if you do it. What do ya have if ya lose?”

Johnny: “I guess, if marbles is your thing, I can give one of my aggies. If I lose. But I’ll need 3 jaspers plus the aggie if I win.”

Shorty agrees to the deal and hides in the bushes. Johnny rings Mrs. Jones’s doorbell.

Johnny: "Hey Mrs. Jones. Uh, uh...Did you know you were fat?"

Shorty, who can't believe Johnny has done it and runs off before he hears anything more.

Mrs. Jones: "Hey back at you. You’re Johnny, right?”

Johnny: “Ugh, yeah. Want to make somethin’ of it?”

Mrs. Jones: “No Johnny, I just like to call people by the right name. And, yes, I do know I’m fat, as you said. But, Oh Johnny, how sweet of you to think I didn't know."

Johnny: "Yeah, well, uh, and you don't care?"

Mrs. Jones: "Oh Johnny, of course I care. But, now that you've brought it up, would you like to know why?"

Johnny: "Well, uh, sure, I guess."

Mrs. Jones: "Why don’t you come in and we'll talk about it. Would you like some cookies and milk, Johnny."

Johnny: "Gosh, that's nice of ya, sure."

Johnny is stunned by this gesture and is not sure what to expect next. Mrs. Jones ushers Johnny into the room and offers him a seat on her sofa.

Mrs. Jones: “Excuse me a moment while I get the refreshments.”

Johnny sits in awe, almost afraid to move. He has never seen so many things in a house before. He is not even sure what some of them are as he has never seen these kinds of things before.

Shortly, Mrs. Jones returns with a plate of homemade cookies and two glasses of milk.

Mrs. Jones: "Now Johnny, I want you to have at least three of these cookies. I insist.”

Again, surprised by the kindness of a stranger, Johnny is only too eager to oblige.

Mrs. Jones: “Now, where were we? Oh yes, about my being fat. Although Johnny, I do care what others think about me, it is not important to me what I am on the outside. Not as long as I respect myself on the inside.”

Mrs. Jones notices a tilt of Johnny’s head and a questioning look.

Mrs. Johns: “Do you know what respect means, Johnny?"

Johnny: "Oh sure. That's when people look up to ya, say your great, and think nice things about ya."

Mrs. Jones: "Yes, that's part of it, but what you described is the respect of others. Do you know what it means to respect yourself.”?

Johnny: "No, I ain't heard that before, Mrs. Jones."

Eyes wide and never leaving her face, Johnny munched away on the cookies and drank his milk. He is surprised by the fact Mrs. Jones was also drinking milk. He had never seen an adult to this before.

Mrs. Jones: "Oh Johnny, you must have respect for yourself, before you can ever respect anyone else. Respect for yourself, Johnny, is when you think nice things about yourself, especially when you know you've done the best you can. You can feel nice even when you might lose. And because you know, Johnny, other people don't have to know."

Johnny: “Ya mean ya can’t brag on yourself when you do somthin’ good?”

Mrs. Jones:

Johnny: "Well, thanks for askin' me in, Mrs. Jones. And gee, them cookies was good. I guess I better go now."

Mrs. Jones: "You may come to visit me any time you like. I would love to have a new friend. And bring some others with you if you’d like."

Johnny: "Ja wanna’ be friends? With me? Gee. Thanks"

Mrs. Jones: "Oh Johnny!"

After Johnny has gone, Mrs. Jones wondered if he had understood a word she said. But she did hope to see him again soon.

Later, Shorty found Johnny as he’s walking down the street. His back seems to be a bit straighter and his head held a bit higher. But, of course, Shorty didn’t notice.

Shorty: "I can't believe ya really did it. I thought ya'd be too scared."

Johnny "Ja know, that Mrs. Jones ain't a bad lady after all."

Shorty: "Oh wow, that's just dumb. How can a creepy, fat lady be nice?"

Johnny: " She gave me milk and cookies. Nobody never done that around here before. And, and, well, I think it's 'cause she's fat."

Shorty: "Huh? What?"

Johnny: "Look, Shorty, she don't care if she's fat. She looked me right in the eye and talked to me, not like I was a kid, nether. She was talkin' about respect or something weird like that."

Shorty: "Oh, brother, that don't make no sense."

Johnny: "At first it didn't make no sense to me neither. But, ja know, Shorty, I sorta wish I was fat."