The Game is a Foot

The Game is a Foot   

By Laura McCluskey , Jan. 8, 2023

     Harvey was born to hop. Due to an unavoidable birth defect, he only had one foot. So, he hopped. Everywhere. He hopped to the school, he hopped to the store, he hopped to the park, he hopped to his grandmothers and even hopped to his doctor appointments. Arriving at Dr. W.R. Iamlate's office, Harvey was always greeted with the same salutation.

    "Good day, Master Harvey! Is this the day you will opt for a cane and stop that insidious hopping?". Dr. Iamlate would bellow with a smile.

    "No but thank you good doctor. I am immensely in awe of your constant concern." Harvey would reply, smiling back.

    After a few hammer knee knocks, a cold stethoscope reading and a flash of light in Harvey's eyes, the good doctor would pat him on the head, declare him healthy and Harvey would happily hop off into the day.

    Harvey's day hours were consumed by school. Learning how to read, write, perform algebraic equations, and concluding scientific experiments were quite challenging for someone like Harvey. Not because he had one foot, but because Harvey was quite different than your ordinary boy.

    The remainder of his time, afterschool, weekends, and school breaks, were consumed by something else altogether. Harvey would daydream about what it would be like to have 2 strong feet. Of course, he would continue hopping, but think about how high and how far he could hop with two feet instead of one. It would be of championship level, and he would even imagine himself competing in contests with grand prizes like trophies and medals. He would be envied by everyone he met, instead of pitied. It didn’t bother him when people said “oh, you poor thing,” but he did wish they didn’t have to.

       On the other side of town, Joe was about as ordinary as they come. Perhaps he was the inspiration of the term “ordinary joe”. He rose every morning, showered, had eggs and toast, read the paper, drank one cup of coffee, kissed his wife and kids goodbye and went off to his ordinary job at the market.  He was one of dozens of butchers who would receive the products off the truck in the morning and cut his way through the day, preparing the meat for the market.  His products were mostly cows and chickens, but he also butchered geese, pheasants, and rabbits for specialty restaurants. And this is where Joe’s journey to becoming temporarily not ordinary began.  

      As Joe cut and sawed and chopped and sawed and cut, he never really paid much attention to the product he was butchering. It made it easier for him if he didn’t think of the animals as, well, animals.  The chickens and cows came to him skinned and cut and the geese and pheasants were already plucked of all their plumage, so he saw just as meat.  But the rabbits were different.  The rabbits were whole. They came from a local farmer who was not interested in skinning his beloved pets, as he liked to think of them.  So, Joe needed to cut off the head and legs before turning them over to the skinning table where the final step would be completed  The head and legs were thrown into a big barrel with the other unusable parts and where that barrel went each night Joe did not know and did not care to know, as long as it was empty and clean the next morning.

      One day, a gorgeous rabbit landed on the table in front of Joe. It had the shiniest coat of black and white and the fur was as soft as silk. The rabbits head looked majestic with long, clean ears and even the tail was the size and texture of the most exquisite cotton ball. Joe stopped his chopping and sawing and took a moment to admire this great creature. It was the first time Joe had seen, or for that matter cared, about the animal he was about to butcher. And in that moment, Joe remembered that as a boy he had a lucky rabbits’ foot. It was dyed green and hung from copper ball chain. He had hooked it to the front of his bike, and he believed it actually brought him good luck.  This rabbit foot helped him do well in school, helped him get girlfriends and when he hung it from the rear-view mirror of his first car, it saved his life. He had a terrible accident, totaled his car and hit his head on the dashboard. When he came to, he was staring right at the rabbits’ foot and because he was completely uninjured, he just knew it was magical.  

        Joe registered for college and was on his way to becoming a certified CPA.  Not a high paying job, but respectable and enough to live out his American dream. One day, returning from a night out of frat boy partying Joe reached into his backpack and realized the rabbit foot was gone! Just vanished. He retraced his steps, returned to the bar he was at and even accused his friends of taking it as mean trick. But to no avail was he able to ever find it again.  And his luck took a serious turn from that moment on. 

      Joe became obsessed with the loss of his good luck charm. He lost concentration in school and eventually gave up and quit. He tried a series of meaningless jobs and at each one thought “if only I had that rabbit foot, I could do this job better.” But since he didn’t have it, of course he failed and failed and failed again.  As he matured, he did know that settling down was inevitable. His last hire was at the meat market. There he met a nice girl, got married and had 2 adorable children. He knew stability was important for his family, so he worked at becoming a good butcher. And he was, one of the best in the business. Once he forgot about the rabbit foot, he realized that his success was up to him. And forget about it he did, for years, until this beautiful Leporidae lay on the table before him. Joe stared at this rabbits’ foot for about 20 minutes. His table mate had to snap him out of what most people would consider a trance with a nudge of his elbow. “Back to work or you’ll get us both canned”, the nudger said. As much as Joe stared at the foot, however, his own story was not lost to Joe’s internal struggle to believe in good luck charms. He knew that a rabbit’s foot had changed his life for the better in the past, and before him lay an opportunity to see just how lucky a rabbits’ foot could be again. He raised his sharp clever high in the air and it came down on the table with such a clang that everyone in the immediate area stopped and stared. After a brief look of shock, they all returned to their work. No one was the wiser as Joe slipped the exquisite, black and white foot of the rabbit onto a small cloth, wrapped it up tight and put it in his pocket.

        Across town, Harvey was hopping. He was hopping to the store for his mother and then had plans to meet some friends downtown. He hopped in the door, ringing the door’s bell with one ring. He bought lettuce, carrots and cabbage and hopped over to the counter. “Hello, Peter”, Harvey said. “This is for my mom, can you put it on her tab. We’ll pay at the end of the month.” 

       “You bet, Harvey, always happy to have an honest customer.” Peter said. 

       “By the way, when you head home, try to avoid that garden on the corner, rumor is some weird things have been happening there.”  

       “Whoa”, blurted Harvey. “Like what!” He was forever curious.

        Peter elaborated, “Like some kids were playing there and the old man chased them swinging a rake. Almost took their heads off.” 

         “Whoa”, repeated Harvey. “You bet I won’t go there.” And he hopped off, taking his purchases in a small sack back to his mother. 

         It was getting dark, and Harvey knew the shortest route home was past the garden on the corner, but he was not that brave. He decided to go the long way around, even though he was going to cross over into the side of town he was told never to go to. He hopped down the street, took a left, went up a small hill past corn fields and barns. As he peaked the top of the summit, he could see lights from the town below.They really did look beautiful, and he thought maybe just a quick look wouldn’t hurt. So, as he crested the hill, instead of taking a right to go across the field and safely home, he went straight, straight towards the lights and into the unknown. 

          When Harvey reached the edge of town, he stopped in awe. The lights were amazing. And what they lit up was even more amazing. Stores, and shops and eateries and people.  PEOPLE!! CITY PEOPLE!! The very ones that mother told him to steer clear of. Harvey found himself on the sidewalk with realizing how he even got there. He was surrounded by people rushing home from work, rushing to the store, rushing to get somewhere, and fast. He was hopping to the right. He was hopping to the left. He was hopping for his life. No one saw him. He was too small. He was going to be trampled to death in the one place his mother told him not to go and then she would find out he went there. That would be worse than being trampled.  And it was getting dark, and he was finally scared.  

          He buttressed himself up against the wall of the closest building, a bank, and froze in place. And when he realized he had lost his sack of food, he began to cry. And just as he felt tears hit his cheek, he was grabbed under his arms and lifted above the crowd. He looked down to see a smiling, kind face. The person said, “Hi little guy, I’m Joe” and Harvey stopped crying.  

        More often than not, life will bring together two forces that were meant to be. But if one were not paying attention, as is most of the time, we miss this moment.  Tonight was one of the moments when both Joe and Harvey were paying attention.  Harvey looked at Joe and knew he would not hurt him.  Joe looked at Harvey with such admiration and happiness that he was smiling ear to ear.  

       “I’m Harvey. Can you help me find my way home”, Harvey finally said. 

       “What! What did you say?” Joe stammered. 

       “I’m lost and I need help getting home.  I shouldn’t be in the city. My mother told me never to come but I wanted to see the beautiful lights, and now, well, I don’t know how to get home.”

       “Where do you live”, asked Joe, still carrying Harvey but walking toward a quiet part of the street.

      “Over the hill, down past the cornfield and in back of the red barned.” Directed Harvey.

      “It would be my honor to take you there.” And with a swift turn left, Joe walked along the busy sidewalk, carrying Harvey, and moving quickly through the crowd. At the edge of town Joe walked the dark road up the hill, past the corn field and down to the red barn. 

       “Is this where you live?” he said quizzically.   

      “Sort of”, said Harvey, “my mother and brothers and sisters live behind the barn in a den. My father was killed by the old farmer in the corner garden, but we are doing ok.”

        It was only when Joe put Harvey back on the ground did he notice Harvey’s missing foot. “What in the world happened?”

          Harvey sensed Joe’s alarm. “It’s ok, I was born this way.  But you should see me hop!”. And with that, Harvey hopped all around Joe as Joe spun in a circle.  

         Realizing that Harvey was special, Joe decided right then and there that he would do anything he could to help his new friend.  

         “Harvey,” said Joe, “is there anything, anything in the world I can do for you?”

          “No,” Harvey sighed. “My life is great except for my missing foot. And only a miracle can get that back for me.”

          Now it was time for Joe to cry. His eyes watered, his forehead wrinkled, his lip started quivering and he could feel his face flush from the inside out. He hadn’t cried in years, so the feeling was uncomfortable and surreal. He reached into his pocket to retrieve his handkerchief and that is when he felt it. The beautiful, exquisite rabbits’ foot he had placed in his pocket early this very day. And it was still soft and fresh. 

         Joe extracted the rag from his pants pocket, unfolded each fold carefully and held it out before Harvey.  At first Harvey was horrified. Was this person a murderer, a killer or a friend of the old gardener on the corner!  He hopped backward so fast he almost fell.

        “Whoa, Harvey. It’s Ok,” Joe explained what his job was and how he happened to come upon this unique yet weirdly appropriate for this moment object. Harvey leaned in with all ears and listened intently. When Joe was finished, he said “Harvey, I’d like you to have this foot.”

         Harvey had never been offered a more amazing gift in his whole life. And he accepted it with all his heart.  Harvey told Joe all about Dr. Iamlate and the two rushed over to his place like kids playing tag.  Harvey hopped and Joe ran. 

          Dr. Iamlate was able to attach the gifted foot to Harvey’s little leg and after a few weeks, all the blood vessels, muscles and nerves amazingly connected to Harvey’s’.  When he came out of the den that morning, he was with his mother and siblings and Joe. Joe was invited to the big day. And then Harvey jumped! He jumped so high, everyone started hooting and hollering. He bounced back down, and he ran!  he ran so fast; he disappeared over the hill. But then he ran back so fast he almost could not stop.  And everyone yelled and screamed with joy.

       Harvey hopped over and as Joe leaned down, he gave him a big hug. He had nothing else to say but “thank you.” Joe hugged Harvey back and said “No, thank YOU, Harvey. Because of you I realize that it wasn’t the rabbit’s foot that made my life better, it was when I gave of myself to others that made me better.”

         As Joe stood up to his full height, he looked down. He had never been surrounded by such love.  He also had never been surrounded by so many rabbits. “Boy, now that is a lot of lucky rabbit feet,” he said.