Re: WOODY

On Mon, Jun 30, 2014 at 11:32 AM, Harry Danvers <bennakum@gmail.com> wrote:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Harry Danvers <bennakum@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Jun 30, 2014 at 11:21 AM
Subject: WOODY
To: elerik.harry@blogger.com

                                         WOODY

   He lived in Plainsville, Ohio, which was founded in 1798 and had one stop light, one grocery store, one bank and the rest were antique shops. In face it was the center for antiques in Ohio as well as other states. The had one of the oldest Quaker Meeting Houses in the nation and next to that was a home for the eldely insane. That´s where Woody existed.

   It was determined by the state psiquiatrías that Wooddy did not live in this world. He had the mind of an infant who had never learned to speak and was surrounded by memories of an unknown origin  Noone knew exactly how he arrived in own or where he came from. He was just there and the oldest border in the elderly insane asylum. He therefore had a long, white beard, which coveed his face up to his eyes. These were remarably vivid, without color, but piercing and alert. He was of middle height, somewhat pauncy andf well endeared by all the inhabitants of Plainsville, Ohio. The state.psychatrist determined he was not dangerous, so he ws allowed the roam the streets of the village at his leasure.

     "Morning Woody!"

     "Heh Woody!"

     "What´s going on ole man?"

   were some of the salutations he received, to which he would smile, in a toothless way and grunt back to them.

   Thyat grunt and other similar grunts, spliced together like a kind of morose code, sufficed for his conversation and the people seemed to understand.

   He didn´t frequent the antique shops but had a habit of going to the grocery store. Usually he just looked arund but one day he took a pack of cigarettes off the wrack, put it into his pocket and started walk out before a cashier yelled out;

     "Heh! You have to pay for that!"

   Woody turnd around with an astonished look. He didn´t know what she meant. He couldn´t undestand her. He grun ted and made such undecipherable sounds that she called Mr. Nell and he shepeared Woody outside;

     "Woody," he said, "we know you didn´t steal anything, but here the people pay for what they take. Do you understand?"

   Woody changed his palor and even beamed, making three grunts before walking away.

   Mr. Nell was so impressed that he told the check-out girls never the charge him and spread the word hat maybe Woody was speaking in an unkown tongue

   Mr. Nell was the proprietor.of the grocery store. He had inherited it from his father and grandfather before him Therefore there was not one soul who did not know about someone in his family tree. moreover, his opinions were well regarded.

   Now the old Quaker Meeting House was still attended by a few people. Of course nothing was said unlss someone wanted to break the silence with dsesultory remarks. AT the same time it was established in their doctrine that anyne could enter the metting house and one day Woody did.

   No one wasw surprised fr he seemd as old as the came, colonial building itself. Everyone knew Woody from the next door elderly insane asylum. Therefore he sat down on one of the hard benches and joined in the silence

   It was a long, protracted, invisable silence in which each individual tried t lose himself in meditation. There is not much to think about in  small town, but there is still the individual with his wandering thoughts. If you are a child this is simple but when you become an adult, you are the shadow of all that and Woody was a shadow.

   One hour led to the next and no one said anything. Woody remained motionless, until he decided he wanted to have a cigarette. Instinct told him he should not do this but he could not cointrol this instinct. He stood up abruptly and uttered a bellowing grunt. It echoed offthe ancient walls and woke the people from their restless sleep. Many knew what Mr. Nell had said and now it appeared it was coming true Woody continue to grunt in different tones and octaves as he walked down the asile.

   He went next dfoor to the elderly insane asylum and poaused ont he front porch to light a cigarette. He had no idea how he was affecting the town now or that he was fast becoming a local saint.