Tale of Johnny Ray

Brookfield, Georgia 1959

I have always known that I was adopted. There was never a big announcement or a defining moment.
Adults often avoid informing their adopted kids that they are indeed adopted out of some misguided sense of protection.
It is usually their own feelings they are protecting, not the child's. Children are far more resilient than most adults give them credit for.
In my case, Momma and Daddy were well aware of the small minded gossip that accompanies small town life.
Better I learn the truth at home, rather than hear it in town.
Ronald and Loretta Reed(better known as Ron and Lore) are lifetime residents of Tift County, Georgia.
Ron is the sole proprietor of Ron's Diesel & Tire Repair.
His business is conveniently located next door to Bubba's Truck Stop & Diner on the newly completed Interstate 75 in Tifton, Georgia.
Lore is a LPN at the Tift County Hospital, where she assisted in my delivery.
Actually there was a defining moment when I was ten years old, and it was precipitated by an innocent question at the dinner table one September evening following the first day of the fifth grade.

"Daddy, what's 'working the pole' mean?" I innocently asked.
"What in the world are you talking about son" He responded.
"Well, them boys at school said my real Momma was up in Atlanta working the pole and men was stuffin dollar bills in her panties" I explained.
Thats when Momma almost choked on her cornbread. She started turning red.
At the time I thought it was from lack of oxygen, but later realized it was from embarrassment.
She recovered gamely and I saw Daddy supressing a smile.
"I reckon you been talking to them Hatcher boys, ain't you?"
"Yessir" I admitted.
"Well son, let me ask you something. You ever hear the phrase'Consider the source'?"
"Yessir, but I don't rightly know what it means."
"What it means is, them boys don't know what in the world they're talking about. They ain't never been to Atlanta.
Heck, the only time that whole miserable family ever been outa Tift county was to go to an uncle's funeral in Macon three years ago.
Only reason they even did that was cause they was hoping the old man left them some money."
Now it was Momma's turn to supress a smile.
"You gonna learn soon enough that people say mean things for no good reason and it don't do no good to get riled up over it."
That was when Momma spoke for the first time.
"Ron, don't you think it's time we told him?"

 

Hopefully just getting started. Would hate to run out of gas already LOL

 

Tifton, Georgia 1948

The U.S.A. was in a good mood in 1948. It is generally agreed on by most everyone that this brief period was the most joyous and prosperous era in our nation's history.
Just three years earlier we defeated Hitler. Then we went over and dropped the big one on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition, peace on earth and bring the boys home.
Veterans were using their benefits to start businesses, build homes and get an education.
Detroit was cranking out civilian iron again and baby boomers were being born.

Little did we know the horror of the Korean Conflict that loomed in the not so distant future.
Nor could we predict that the babies being born this very year would be part of the carnage in southeast Asia in less than two decades.
The French Province of Viet-Nam wasn't in our vocabulary yet.

But for now, life was good. Even the folks in little ole Tifton Georgia were enjoying the party.
Florida was just realizing it's tourism potential and to get there from just about anywhere in the midwest you just about had to pass through Tifton.
US Highway 41 originates in Copper Harbor WI. It meanders through Chicago, Nashville, Atlanta and of course Tifton before it finally ends up in Miami, Florida.
One of the first folks to recognize the revenue potential of this stretch of asphalt was Tifton's own Bubba McGlohorn.
Bubba was the proud owner of Tift county's first billboard. And a grand affair it was.
It was hand painted(as was done in those days) in the brightest, most garish colors available.
Across the top it proclaimed Bubba's Truck Stop & Diner to have "southern style home cooking".
His various items for sale included VINE RIPE WATERMELONS, GEORGIA PEACHES, HOT BOILED PEANUTS and of course VIDALIA ONIONS.
But as is the case to this day with such roadside establishments, the Vidalia onions were suspect. Bubba figured the tourists would never know the difference. They didn't then and they still don't today.*
Bubba was also the franchise holder for the Greyhound Bus Stop, which basically consisted of a metal sign on a pole outside the truck stop and an uncovered, hard wooden bench.
Bubba rightly figured most folks wouldn't want to sit very long in the blazing sun or pouring rain waiting on the bus.
When they wandered into his diner for relief from the elements, they discovered the only available seating was in a dining booth, whereupon they felt obligated to puchase a beverage or, as Bubba hoped, a meal.
It was a clear violation of his contract with Greyhound to not provide a suitable shelter, but Greyhound would never know as long as the drivers didn't report it.
And you can bet ole Bubba took care of the drivers. You see, Bubba also had a fuel contract with Greyhound, and he routinely added a few cents per gallon to the tab when the busses took on fuel.
The drivers gladly signed the fuel tickets in exchange for a steak dinner.
And the more favored drivers took home the occasional Mason jar of Bubba's home brewed corn squeezins.
Just another one of Bubba's many sources of unreported income.

It was an uneventful day in March of 1948 when Tammy Pennyworth stepped off the northbound bus.
What was eventful was the fact that she took her luggage with her. Rarely was Tifton anyone's final destination. What was even stranger was the fact that she purposefully walked into the diner and inquired if employment was available.
Although she admitted having no restaurant experience whatsoever, Bubba hired her on the spot.
He magnamiously proclaimed later that he saw potential in the young lady and was just trying to help the youth of America, as was his patriotic calling.
The truth be known, he was totally smitten with her. Though not a classic beauty, her unusual features drew immediate attention.
She was slender, close to six feet tall. Her high cheek bones hinted at native American heritage, but her reddish blonde hair betrayed that notion, along with somewhat narrow eyes that were almost Asian.
Her accent had just a trace of the old south. Bubba claimed that proved she wasn't a yankee anyway.

Bubba told her he was giving her the best deal in town, considering her level of experience.
Fifty cents per hour and she got to keep half of her tips. The other half was split between Bubba and his cook.
Bubba claimed that was standard practice. Besides he was giving her one free meal per day.
Then came the matter of housing. It was obvious she had no place to stay yet, and Bubba was happy to provide the solution.
Yet another one of Bubba's enterprises was the Tifton Acres Mobile Home Villas, conveniently located behind Bubba's Truck Stop & Diner.
For only $12 per week, payroll deducted, Tammy could have herself a private 8 x 20 foot trailer with no charge for water or electricity.

It was rumored that Bubba used a couple of the trailers for nefarious purposes, no doubt another of his many enterprises.
It was also rumored that the occasional bus driver could be seen paying a late night visit to the Mobile Home Villas.

Although Daddy's shop was right next door to the truckstop, he never stepped foot in the place.
Daddy was an honest mechanic and businessman and wanted no association with Bubba.
Bubba once offered to mention Daddy's shop on his famous billboard for a small monthly fee.
Daddy rightly figured that the truckdrivers could see his shop from the highway and he sure didn't need any endorsement from Bubba.

Therefore, Momma and Daddy never met my real momma, Miss Tammy Pennyworth until the day she gave birth to me, some eight and a half months later.

*The Georgia Department of Agriculture only recognizes Vidalia onions, known for their unigue, almost sweet flavor, coming from a very specific region.

 

Fort Dix, New Jersey 1967

HENDERSON, THROW THE #### GRENADE!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING SON!!!
HENDERSON!!! WAKE UP BOY!!!
I have never heard such a frantic scream in my life, before or since that day.
We were throwing live fragmentation grenades at the range, which consisted of a series of three foot deep holes surrounded by sand bags on three sides.
We had practiced this literally hundreds of times. I was throwing grenades in my sleep.
It was actually fairly simple. Hold the grenade while grasping the safety lever. Pull the pin. Secure your target and get rid of it post haste.
These particular grenades had four second timers, but that wasn't carved in stone.
As with anything that is mass produced, there is bound to be the occasional glitch. I always felt it prudent not to test the reliability of the timer.
In this case, the glitch was in the trainee, not the hand grenade.
Henderson was a strange fellow to begin with. I never understood how he made it this far. He always seemed to be elsewhere in his mind.
He was constantly getting berated by the drill instructors for failure to pay attention to instructions.
No amount of pushups or KP duty seem to have an affect on his behavior. He was never hostile or disobedient. He just didn't seem to be aware of his surroundings.
There was speculation that he was faking a mental condition in hopes of being discharged, as was sometime attempted by the occasional draftee.
But there was nothing fake about what we witnessed on this day.
My friend Anthony Fazzone, in the neighboring bunker on the left, and Drill Sergeant Cox were the only eyewitnesses to what took place.
Our training dictated that we alternate throwing the grenades with our neighbor.
In a combat situation you don't want too many heads popping up at the same time.
Keeps the enemy guessing and reduces the opportunity of getting your's blown off.
Anthony was raising up in anticipation of Henderson having just thrown his last grenade, only to discover Henderson just standing there with a faraway look in his eyes.
The pin had been pulled and Henderson was cradling the grenade like it was a newborn puppy seemingly oblivious to his whereabouts.
Sgt. Cox noticed this as well and launched into a familiar tirade of curses toward Henderson.
Maybe not the wisest thing for the sergeant to do in this situation.
This made Henderson flinch and Anthony swears he saw just a flicker of an evil grin form on Henderson's lips.
It was at this moment that Eugene Henderson performed his last act on this earth.
He relaxed his hand allowing the safety latch to pop off, but he continued to cradle the grenade, almost lovingly.
Anthony felt as if he were in the middle of a nightmare, things happening in slow motion, body unwilling to move.
Apparently a subconcious survival instinct took over, for Anthony Fazzone had no memory of diving into his hole.
Henderson's neighbor to the right was not so fortunate.
Pvt. Billy Brooks heard Sgt. Cox's screams, but was so focused on his own mission that he didn't comprehend their meaning.
HENDERSON WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? YOU DON'T HAVE THE SENSE GOD GAVE A BILLYGOAT!!!
Sgt. Cox had thrown enough grenades himself to know there was maybe one tick left on the timer and like Pvt. Fazzone's, his own survival instinct kicked in.
In one smooth motion he pivoted and dove for a shallow ditch behind him yelling FIRE IN THE HOLE as he dove with his arms reflexively coming up in a protective posture over his head as he landed face first in the ditch.
The explosion went unnoticed for the most part due to the dozens of grenades exploding in the immediate area.
It was actually somewhat muffled, with Henderson's torso absorbing much of the blast.
Anthony escaped any physical harm with only sand and debri blowing into his bunker, thanks to the wall of sandbags, which took a beating but did their job.
He did suffer a fair amount of mental anquish from being sprayed with Eugene's remains however.
Billy Brooks was not so fortunate. The only positive thing that could be said for his untimely demise is that he probably never felt a thing.
The Army medic declared the cause of death to be a shard of shrapnel the size of a nickel that penetrated his temple, just under the edge of his steel pot, with the speed of a bullet.
Anthony was never the same after that. None of us were really. And as the old saying goes "we hadn't seen nothing yet".

 

Letter to home

Dear Mom & Dad,
Can't believe we are halfway through basic training. Only six weeks to go. Ain't near as bad as some of these boys make it out to be. Dang sure ain't as bad as stacking hay bales all summer in a hot barn.
Lot of these boys are city fellers though. But some of them are pretty tough, like my best friend Ant. His name is Anthony Fazzone and he is from Brooklyn NY.
Ant says it's right over the bridge from New York City. He sure does talk funny, but he claims I sound mighty peculiar to him too.
He has invited me home this weekend when we get our 36 hour pass. If we pass our barracks inspection that is. I know we will. We been doing real good lately.
Ant's been bragging about his momma's cooking. Said I'll get to eat some real Italian food. He also said to keep my paws off his sister. That is a joke haha.

Wasn't going to talk about this, but I never kept anything from yall.
Two boys got killed yesterday out on the munitions range. Just dumb is what it was. Shouldn't have never happened.
This Henderson fella was just plain crazy. I don't care what they said. Can't figure out how they let him make it this far.
They thought he was faking it, but ain't that just as bad? I mean if a feller goes out of his way to act crazy, don't that kinda make him crazy?
Heck I don't know what I'm trying to say, just seems they would be a little more picky about who they give a rifle to.
But we been hearing that it's real hot over yonder right now and they needing all the warm bodies they can get.

Ant was right there and he could have died just like poor Billy Brooks did.
Ant said he saw Henderson just standing there holding that hand grenade like it was an Easter egg. And he swears he made like a goofy grin, like he was happy about what was about to happen.
At least Ant and the sarge had a chance to dive for cover. But Billy never had a chance.
What a terrible shame it was too. He was really a good old boy. Fine fella from Dothan Alabama.
He always talked about wanting to go back to work at his daddy's dairy farm when this was all over.

Ant's trying to act like it didn't bother him, but I know better. He was all covered in Henderson's blood and all. Even the sarge was acting different this morning.
He gave us a lecture about not dwelling on it and keeping our minds on our training. Said the best thing is to keep busy and not dwell on it.
He said in the 'Nam letting your mind wander can get you killed. I'm not one to argue with the sarge, but seems to me, when it's your time to go, nothing you can do about it anyway.

Well I need to end this I reckon. Lights out in five minutes. Going to be hard enough to stay awake in map reading class tomorrow as it is. Awful boring stuff, but I imagine it might come in handy.
Miss both of yall,
Love Johnny

 

Tammy Pennyworth

"That little gal done took to waitressin like a duck to water", Bubba would tell anybody who would listen.
Yesiree, ole Bubba was mighty proud of his catch. His customers seem to like her as well, as evidenced by her tips.
Cathleen Ray was the senior waitress at Bubba's Truck Stop and Diner and she took an instant liking to Tammy.
Kinda took her under her wing. Once Cat (as she was known to her friends) had established that Tammy was trustworthy she shared this advice with her.
"If that scoundrel Bubba so much as looks at you funny, you tell me about it and I'll whup his fat butt." Cat told her one morning over coffee.
Noticing the astonishment on Tammy's face, she went on to explain.
"You see, sweetie, Bubba is my first cousin and I know everthing there is to know about him and his dealings."
She paused for Tammy to absorb this, then continued. "Yeah, I'm talking about how he cheats Greyhound Bus Lines, his moonshine stills and them women in the trailers.
And let me tell you something else, he's charging you too durn much rent on that trailer too.
And I see you been smart enough to stash some of your tips for yourself. Don't worry, we all do it. You're a smart girl. You're gonna be OK"
Cat hesitated, as if unsure whether or not to say the big thing on her mind. Well here goes she decided as she took a deep breath.
" When you get ready to have that baby, you don't need to be living alone in that trailer. Especially with the riffraff coming and going at all hours." she said quietly.
Tammy couldn't hide the surprise on her face. "But how..." was all she could get out.
Cat laughed softly. " Oh hon, it's ok. I done had three younguns myself and I believe I can tell the signs by now.
Besides the way you been throwing up every morning kinda tipped me off. Don't worry, it's safe with me, and you ain't gotta worry about Mary Sue neither.
She's good people, minds her own business. Bubba is gonna figure it out soon as you start showing.
Don't you worry about him neither. I'll handle him. Matter of fact, I'm tellin Bubba to quit charging you rent on that trailer. Just ain't right him taking half your paycheck before you even see it.
Besides, you need to be saving up for that baby."

Tammy was still trying to absorb all this as she sipped her coffee. " Let me ask you something Cat.
I noticed right off that you wasn't exactly scared of Bubba. Seems like he pushes around just about everybody else around here.
And it ain't exactly a secret about what all he's into. I always figured somebody on the police force had to looking out for him"
Cat laughed again. " You are a smart girl Tammy Pennyworth. Yes indeed, Bubba does have a cop in his pocket.
But guess what? So do I."
What a morning for surprises, Tammy thought. She just gave Cat a questioning look and waited for her to continue.
" You see, that cop is my husband. He looks the other way on account of me being kin to bubba.
Reckon that makes us part of it somehow. I ain't proud of it one bit, but I reckon we all got things we ain't proud of.
Not saying that makes it right, just the way it is. Don't want you to think bad of me sweetie.
One thing about it, I won't ever lie to ya."

" Now that I done fessed up to you, I want to ask you something...". Cat hesitated, unsure if she should continue.
Tammy knew where this was going." You gonna ask me who the daddy is I reckon. A boy from down in Valdosta. Has to be him, ain't been nobody else.
Thing is, he don't know. Heck, I didn't know when I come up here. Had to leave anyway, so I reckon it don't matter.
This is going to sound strange, but he, Chuck's his name, Charles Jenkins really, was on that bus I got off of.
He was on his way to the airport in Atlanta. He's in the Army and was home on leave before he shipped overseas.
He's on the way to Germany."
" Well hon, that still don't explain why you showed up here with nothing but a suitcase outa nowhere when you got family fifty miles from here." Cat said.
Tammy had a pained look on her face and seemed to gather her strength before continuing.
As if sensing this Cat said " Ain't nothing you can't tell me sweetie. Nothing. Remember, I'm all you have now, and Lord knows I ain't in no position to judge nobody."
This seemed to put Tammy at ease somewhat and she continued." I'm just gonna come out and say it Miss Cat. Daddy caught me and Chuck in the back seat of Chuck's car right out in the front yard.
I know that was stupid on my part, but we never planned on it happening that way.
And besides that, Daddy ain't never checked up on me before. Always thought he trusted me.
But the dog got to barking and carrying on and we never heard it. A racoon knocked over the trash can making a racket and set the old dog off.
So daddy comes out with his flashlight to investigate and naturally shined it in Chuck's car as he walked by.
That's when it hit the fan. I thought they was gonna fistfight right then and there.
Daddy told me to just stay in that #### car cause I didn't live there no more."
She was openly crying now, obviously still raw from the devastating event. Cat took her hands and tried to comfort her the best she could.
"Its ok Tam, you don't have to finish this" she told her.
"Yes maam I do. I'm gonna tell the whole thing. By that time momma heard all the ruckus and she was out there in her housecoat and slippers.
She pleaded with daddy to not throw me out. He wouldn't back down one bit.
Daddy's like that.
She finally talked him in to letting me come in long enough to pack a suitcase.
It was about midnight and Chuck's bus left at five AM, so we just went straight to the bus station.
Chuck called his brother from the payphone and told him the keys would be under the floormat so he could come get the car later on.
Chuck said I ought to go to Atlanta, or at least Macon. He said there would be more opportunity for me.
But you see, Chuck has travelled around some. He's been around and ain't scared of new places.
I've been in Valdosta Georgia my whole life and to be honest with you, I was terrified to go anywhere, but didn't have a whole lot of choice about it.
That's the reason I got off the bus here. My ticket went all the way to Atlanta."
Cat raised her eyebrows at this. "Did Bubba give you a refund on that?" she asked.
"No maam. He said it was against company policy" Tammy said.
"Cat bristled at that. " Why that cheap ####### cousin of mine! Don't worry hon, I'll get you that money."
Tammy laughed a little."Not a big deal I reckon, in light of everything else that's happened. I had forgot about it really."
"Well I ain't forgettin it honey. You can count on that. Now let me ask you something else.
Have you wrote your fella and told him about the baby?"
The answer was evident in Tammy's eyes. " No maam, I ain't told him. Don't know why neither. Nothing he could do about anyway, being overseas and all."
That sounded pretty lame to Cat, but she didn't push it. Nothing to gain by forcing an eighteen year old to voice what she had figured out for herself.
She had a daughter Tammy's age and had first hand experience in these matters, and she made a vow then and there to do everthing in her power to treat Tammy as she would her own.


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