JOHNNY WAS BORN DEC 3 1950 TO THE PROUD PARENTS MARLA AND JOSH REEDER.HE WAS BORN IN THE FRONT ROOM IN FRONT OF A POT BELLIED STOVE,HIS FATHER DELIVERED HIM.HE WAS A BIG BOY AND WOULD CONTINUE TO GROW BIG AND STRONG.AT AGE 6 HE WAS MILKING THE COWS AND FEEDING THE CHIKENS BEFORE GOING TO SCHOOL.WHEN HE RETURNED HOME HE PICKED UP WHERE HED LEFT OFF.WHEN HE TURNED 11 HIS DAD WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ON THE FARM,HE WAS PULLED INTO THE BAILER.HE LIVED BUT LOST HIS RIGHT ARM ,PART OF HIS RIGHT SHOULDER AS WELL AS THE USE OF HIS LEGS.HIS MOM TRIED TO RUN THINGS BUT AFTER A YEAR JOHNNY DROPPED OUT TO TAKE OVER THE FARM.HE WAS NOW 13.
JOHNNY WORKED THAT FARM AND TOOK COROSPONDENCE COURSES TO FINISH HIGH SCHOOL AND HELP TAKE CARE OF THE FARM AND FAMILY.AY 16 JOHNNY LOST HIS MOM .HIS DAD HAD GONE INTO A FIT AND HIS MOM ,WHILE RUSHING HIM TO THE DOCTOR IN TOWN,LOST CONTROL OF THE PICKUP AND WENT END OVER END INTO A POND.
JOHNNYS UNCLE CAME AND TOOK HIS DAD TO A FACILITY AND THE FARM WAS PUT UP FOR SALE.WITH NO WHERE ELSE TO GO JOHNNY JOINED THE MARINES.THATS WHERE I MET HIM.AT 6FT 3 AND 215 POUNDS OF PURE COUNTRY FED MUSCEL HE MASTERED THE TRAINING AND WAS PROMOTED TO SARGENT.WE BECAME GOOD FRIENDS.I LATER FOUND OUT JOHNNY HAD NEVER BEEN OFF THE FARM EXCEPT WHEN HE WENT TO SCHOOL.WELL WE GOT OUR ORDERS ONE DAY,HE WAS GOING TO NAM SAME AS I WAS.UNFORTUNATLY DIFFERANT ASSIGNMENTS.I GUESS ID BEEN THERE ABOUT 9 MONTHS BEFORE I RAN INTO JOHNNY AGAIN.THE COUNTRY BOY LOOK WA GONE,HIS VOICE DEEPER AND A COLD STAR HAD REPLACED HIS LAUGHING BLUE EYES.WE TALKED AND SOON WERE LAUGHING AND JOKING.I LATER TALKED TO A FEW OF THE GUYS IN HIS OUTFIT,NO ONE EVEN KNEW HIS NAME.HE NEVER SAID A WORD TO ANY OF THEM.ON MY LAST NIGHT WITH JOHNNY HE GOT A RED CROSS LETTER.HIS DAD HAD SUCOMBED TO PNAMONIA AND HAD DIED.FOR THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIS EYES WATER,THEN HE WIPED THEM,SHOOK HANDS AND LEFT.
I NEVER SAW JOHNNY AGAIN.THEN ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO I WAS AT THE WALL LOOKING AND SAYING FARWELL TO THE MANY MEN ID KNOWN THERE.I LOOKED AND I SAW A MAN IN A WHEEL CHAIR WITH A CORN COBB PIPE IN HIS POCKET AND THE USMC INSIGNIA ON HIS JACKET.I STARTED TO APPROACH HIM WHEN A YOUNG NURSE STOPPED ME.SHE SAID HED LOST THE USE OF HIS LEGS AND PART OF HIS FACE WHILE IN NAM.I ASKED HOW ABD SHE EXPLAINED HED TAKEN THE BLUNT FORCE OF A CLAYMORE TO SAVE 3 OF HIS MEN.HE HADNT TALKED TO ANYONE BEFORE THAT OR SINCE AND NO FAMILY WAS EVER FOUND.
I LOOKED AT THE GIANT MAN AND GENTLY MOVED THE NURSE TO ONE SIDE.I STEPPED UP AND FROM SOMEWHERE I JUST SAID,JOHNNY?THE MAN DID NOT MOVE AT FIRST THEN I WAS SURROUNDED BY MPS AND THE NURSE,THEY WERE TELLING ME TO GO OR BE ARRESTED.AS I TURNED TO LEAVE A MONSTROUSE DEEP VOICE RANG OUT,"LIETENANT SIR"
I PUSHED MY WAY BACK TO THE MAN,FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A LIFE TIME I SAW THOSE LAUGHING EYES COVER WITH MOISTURE.JOHNNY I SAID.HE NEVER LOOKED AT ME BUT HE PUT HIS HAND OVER MINE AND WITH THE OTHER ARM HE FIRED A QUICK SALUTE.
I VISIT JOHNNY EVERY WEEK AT THE VA WHEN I GO IN.HES A COUNCILOR THERE NOW GIVING TALKS TO OTHER DISABLED VETS.HIS LAUGHING BLUE EYES ARE BACK AND HIS VOICE THAT OF A TEDDY BEAR.YES I GUESS THERE IS HIDIOUSE SCARES THERE,BUT I DONT SEE THEM.I SEE MY FRIEND,A LONER,NOW MAKING HUNDREDS OF FRIENDS AND TALKING A MILE A MINUTE.THE LAST TIME I SAW JOHNNY WAS LAST WEEK.HES NO LONGER COUNCILING AT THE VA.HES GOING BACK TO A LITTLE PLOT OF GROUND WITH AN OLD BROKEN DOWN HOUSE.HE SAYS HES GOING TO HAVE THE PLACE BROUGHT BACK JUST AS IT WAS THE DAY HE LEFT IT.JOHNNYS GOING HOME.
