Sunday, July 5, 2009

459. UNCLE JOSA

UNCLE JOSA
A World War I jacket hanging on the
wall might have been his - anyway, he
pointed as if it were. To be truth-seeking,
he'd have to be about 110 years old for that to
be so, and he wasn't. All along the mantle were
displayed old farm tools - hand implements, hammers,
chisels, mallets, even discs from a plow ('the only
kind they used to know'). He laughed at that -
a crusty, backspin laugh filled with ancient phlegm.
I watched it all cough up as he cupped it quickly
with a yellowed handkerchief. Truly, I wanted
to say, truly what a guy.

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