Emerging Writers. Historical Fiction by Mary Ann DiLorenzo
Journeying Back to What Used to Be. Part 12.
Johnny sat down on the front porch when he reached home, exhausted from a good day’s work, and thought about what he had done as the rain continued on just like it had for the past few weeks. "The wettest spring and summer ever in these parts," the old-timers were saying. Johnny had decided not to try to farm this season and he took Percy up on his offer to work for him at the feed and seed. How was he going to plant with this endless rain? So when Percy asked, for the third time, Johnny signed on. That way, he could finish fixing up his place with some of the money Percy would be paying him to manage the feed and seed while Percy lapsed into retirement. With Yankee leanings, Percy couldn’t get a single self-respecting Georgian to entertain his offer until Johnny came along. “Best get along with them Yanks,” Johnny thought as he shook Percy’s hand and it was done.
“The boys in the regiment would never let me live this down,” Johnny mused as he looked out at what used to be a functioning farm, today fallow under the endless gray skies and rain. “Signing on with a Yankee. Makes the war seem kind of silly now, doesn’t it? All that bluff and bluster and now my life is entwined with a Yank’s.”
He remembered the night in Petersburg, in the trenches, they were talking about life before the war and what it would be like after. Food was scarce, ammunition was scarce, everything was scarce as the war wound down and the Rebs had only their pride left. The philosopher in the group remarked that the war would define them forever, but they all agreed the war changed them and the life they had always known was gone forever as soon as that first shot was fired in this crazy war of brother against brother. A few short days after they talked, Lee met Grant at Appomattox and the proud Georgians were headed home, or at least what was left of it.
Sitting on that porch as the rain lightened up a bit, that nice quiet gentle rain, that no one could really dislike, Johnny thought back to what used to be. He saw his Ma managing the place like clockwork, doing the work of at least three men, never complaining, just keeping on. Their rural farm had flourished and was happy under the warm Georgia springs and hot Georgia summers. As he pondered so many times since the war, it was a different way of life back then, before the war and all the upheaval. “It’s all gone now, all gone,” Johnny thought out loud. He missed what used to be so fiercely at that moment. He felt in his pocket for Emily’s letter. “She’s gone too.” Johnny put his head in his hands for a while as the rain kept on through the night.
Follow this Civil War Story About Going Home.
Journeying Back to What Used to Be, Part 1
Journeying Back to What Used to Be, Part 2
Journeying Back to What Used to Be, Part 3
Journeying Back to What Used to Be, Part 4
Journeying Back to What Used to Be, Part 5
Journeying Back to What Used to Be, Part 6 & 7
Journeying Back to What Used to Be, Part 8
Journeying Back to What Used to Be, Part 9
Journeying Back to What Used to Be, Part 10
Journeying Back to What Used to Be, Part 11
Journeying Back to What Used to Be, Part 12 (This one)
