Last day in Ozark, Alabama (short sketch)

1889-1890

One day in the Ozark would be the last day Joshua Jefferson would spend in Ozark, Alabama; It was November 24, 1889. He was all 86 years old, and in the 76 years that he lived near the Ozark, he had only been to the city half a dozen times, and for him that was enough, but his earlier times, earlier times At this time, which would be the last time, it was about forty years ago, more or less five in this or that way.

Today, November 24, was his birthday, and he went down to see Jordon, who worked in the main store, they were going to surprise him and go for a light lunch somewhere, the three of them: Silas, Josh’s oldest son. he was with his da.

He, Josh, looked around the city and concluded that everything had changed since the last time he was in the city. Now there were beggars on the street corners with tin cups, a blind man sold pencils, the store windows had toys in some, others underwear, employees as young as he when he first came to America in 1813, found in New Orleans as a stray cat from Charles Hightower, they were taking orders from customers. There was also a park, where forty years ago, there were none. A new courthouse, maybe not new, new to Josh, new since Joshua was last in town; the more he looked around, the more he wanted to escape, it was like being on that ship that brought him to America, he was suffocating.

He had come to Ozark, for three reasons: one, to see his son, Jordon, and him along with Silas for lunch; two: pick up a medicine from Dr. Sharp, for Mrs. Hightower, she got sick again, every fall and winter, since her husband died about ten years ago, she got sick more often and for longer periods, that is, it took longer to recover; and third, to see how the Ozark, the town, the city itself was doing, how he could have moved forward, and now he regretted coming for that particular reason, and for that matter, the other two reasons why Silas might have busy with, because Jordon was nowhere to be found anyway.

Josh stopped by Grocery Story where his son worked, there was the owner, he had met him once, which was the moment when he asked Josh if Jordon could live in the back room part time as he worked nights on the inventory. and so on, and be it security for the place at night, sometimes the owner had a large stock of provisions. Josh told him that it was fine, but if he found out that he was using this time to do un-virtuous things, he would grab his son by the ear and drive him home.

“Hi Mr. Jeff Madison,” Josh said, “I’m looking for my son Jordon, I can’t find him in your store, do you know where he is?” Josh said.

“He went to lunch, maybe in the park; Silas, you screw over there (pointing to the park) and I bet you twice that he’s there.” Mr. Madison said.

“Enough Mr. Jeff, I do what you say, and I’ll see if he’s there,” Silas said, and grabbed Josh’s hand to walk away; but he was not there to be found.

There was a chill in the November air, and Josh pulled up the back of his jacket, a new one that Silas and Jordon put money in, for Josh, he rolled up the back of his jacket so the cold air wouldn’t hit him. neck, he said, “I hate being like them, they are like bees looking for their honeycomb, all lost their way home, I swear,” Josh said feeling the shock of the people around him, looking at him, even though Iflas would have told him, if he had asked, they are just passersby, like the birds in the air that go from one tree to another, it was all a culture shock, he wouldn’t believe they weren’t paying attention abruptly, it was all a new scene, and to lessen it, he needed to get out of town, and that’s what Josh demanded, and he left with no further search for Jordon, more than a quick glance in the park.

When Josh returned home, back to the plantation, Dylan Hightower, Charles’s son, took the medication to his mother, unknowingly at the time, she would be dead in 42 days, January 4, 1890, she, Aurea Hightower, she would die in bed weakened by the weather, the stress of life, she was always a fragile tint anyway, and life in general was hard for her but she was 69 years old, and that was not bad for the time.

Written on July 9, 2008, poem omitted