Tale of Johnny Ray

Thank you GP, been real busy truckin here lately.
Hope to get some more down this weekend.

 

After a fitful night's sleep, Tammy arrived at her decision. As painful as it was, she saw no other way.
Cat was crying by the time Tammy finished explaining her decision.
"You are a brave girl. Or woman, I should say. I can't imagine having that kind of maturity at eighteen. Lord knows I coulda used it.
I think I might know somebody, but I have to know you are absolutely sure before I speak to them"
"I'm as sure as I'll ever be Miss Cat. I'm not saying it's what I want, but I've been over it a thousand ways and there just ain't no other way.
Something else too, I can't stay here anymore." Tammy solemnly announced.
Cat looked surprised."What on earth do you mean by that girl? You are welcome in this house from now on. You know that"
"That's not exactly what I meant. What I mean is, I can't stay in town after this. Ain't no way I could be around my child and not let it know who I am.
That would be unbearable, Cat. You're a momma. You have to see that"
"Yeah sweetie, I do. But whatever will you do? I know you ain't thinking about going back to Valdosta" Cat said.
"Oh no maam. I have a sister up around Atlanta. That was the real reason Chuck wanted me to stay on that bus.
But I didn't want to intrude on her life. I thought I could be a grown up and make it on my own like she did.
I always admired her for what she did, standing up to Daddy like she done. He was really strict on her. More than just strict, downright mean I reckon.
But Linda was smart. She saved nearly every penny she ever made babysitting and from summer jobs and never told a soul except me.
And the day she turned eighteen, she walked out and never came back.
Things got a little better for me after that. He would never admit it, maybe not even to himself, but he knew he was way too hard on Linda.
She was a good girl. She really was. But Daddy demanded perfection from everybody around him.
I swear I don't know how he keeps any workers at the mill.
But anyway, he did ease up for a while, but he completely lost it when he caught me and Chuck in that backseat.
I wouldn't have been surprised if he had went in and got his shotgun. God, I was so stupid to be doing that, especially in the front yard"
"Now don't go blaming yourself" Cat said. "Nothing to be done about it now anyway. And I don't think you would be intruding on your sister.
I bet she would be happy to see you. I know I'm going to miss you hon. Now do you want to hear about the couple I know?"
"Sure I do Miss Cat" Tammy said softly.

 

"I've known Loretta and Ron all my life sweetie. Finest people you could ever meet. You know that repair shop next door to the truck stop?
Ever notice that fella that waves every time we ride by? Well, that's Ronald Reed, the owner. I reckon you noticed he don't ever step foot in the diner.
That don't make him no bad fella. Him and Bubba ain't exactly best buddies. You see, several years ago business got real bad for Ron. He was barely hangin on.
And don't think ole Bubba can't smell an opportunity when it comes along. I know we're kin, but I swear that's the greediest man I've ever know.
He told Ron he could help him out in a big way, guarantee he could stay in that shop forever. Acted like he was a darn saint or something.
Here's what he proposes to Ron. Made him a cash offer to buy the property. Market value.
Told him the cash would give him plenty of 'operating capital' and he would maintain absolute control over the business.
Then all he had to do was pay Bubba a lease payment every month on the property. Made me want to throw up.
Plain as the nose on your face what Bubba was hoping for. Hoping Ron's business would keep falling off is what.
Figured once the cash was gone, Ron wouldn't be able to make the lease payments, and the whole thing would be Bubba's.
Well Ron ain't nobody's fool hon. He saw through that deal as quick as I did, and wasn't a bit shy about lettin Bubba know either.
Oh, honey, I wish you coulda been there. What a hoot. Ron told Bubba it would be a cold day in hell before he took a penny from him.
Called him a conniving S.O.B. and didn't appreciate having his intelligence insulted. Right there in the diner too, customers hearing every word.
Old Bubba turned red as a beet. So mad he couldn't speak. Just stood there shaking.
Ron walked out of there as pretty as you please and ain't never stepped a foot in there since.
His business finally came around and he got to where he could hire a good mechanic which allowed him to spend more time on the business end of it.
Ron's a good man. Nothing ever came easy for him.
His folks died in a car wreck when he was four years old. His aunt and uncle raised him. They was good folks, just dirt poor is all.
Ron quit school after the seventh grade and worked full time as a farm hand so they could eat after his uncle started going blind from diabetes.
Turns out he was pretty handy when it came to working on tractors and farm equipment.
Next thing you know, he's fixing folks' cars and pickup trucks. He found his gift and started making a little money.
He done well for himself and wasn't about to let somebody cheat him out of it"
Cat pased in her story to pour them both some coffee.
"He sounds like a fine man, Miss Cat" Tammy said.
"Oh he is shug, and Lore is good as gold. I'm so happy they found each other. She didn't come up so hard. Her father was a lawyer.
Never was uppity about it though. He's a judge now, fair man from what I've heard.
Not too crazy about them two dating at first, but didn't take him long to see what kind of man Ron was.
Lore is a nurse at the county hospital. She works in the maternity ward. She loves being around them babies.
Sad part is, her and Ron never been able to have one of their own. See where I'm going with this Tam?" Cat asked.
"Of course I do, and I couldn't think of nobody better. I think they would be perfect, but of course it's up to them.
They might not want to, don't never know" Tammy replied.
"Oh, I think they would be thrilled at the chance hon. I really do. Let me talk to Lore and we'll see"

 

Glad to hear it friend. Don't look for anything during the week if they keep working me like they did last week.
Starting vacation in 6 days though. Hope to get a lot down then.

 

And so it was. Ron and Lore were indeed thrilled at this opportunity. They did find it strange however that Tammy was unwilling to meet them.
Perhaps because she was beginning to understand her on a deeper level, Cat did understand somewhat, even though Tammy couldn't put it into words.
Tammy didn't want a personal connection with the Reeds. Just knowing they were upstanding folks was good enough.
She was avoiding intimancy and the temptation to communicate or even visit later on.
As heartbreaking as this ordeal was, she had no desire to compound it further by ever being around her own offspring and having to pretend to not be it's mother.

Johnny Ray Reed was born on New Years Day of 1949 in the the Tift County General Hospital and Loretta assisted the attending physician.
Thanks to some legal maneuvering and a new grandfather who was a county judge, that is the name that went on the birth certificate.
The whole adoption procedure was bypassed and on paper it was if Lore had given birth herself.
Whether or not this was entirely legal was never challenged and Tammy assured everyone involved she would never seek recourse. She was true to her word.

The birth went smoothly with no complications whatsoever and the doctor said Tammy was free to travel almost immediately.
So almost nine months to the day from which she arrived, with $262. in her purse, Tammy boarded the 3:15 northbound Greyhound.
And having never refunded her previous ticket, Cat made sure Bubba paid her fare.

 

I was in the Army with a guy from Indiana named Johnny Ray L---- and I just thought it was a cool sounding name, in a country kind of way.
I decided if I ever had a son, I would name him that.
I never had a son, but I finally get to use the name.