Two Households, Both Alike in Dignity

Johnny’s a great guy. Smart too. Says he read all the books in his hometown library and now he’s on to bigger things. He can recite full acts of Romeo and Juliet from memory, mostly the bloody ones. A real romantic. I wouldn’t know if he fudged a line or two, or if he made up the whole act, but it sounds great when he gives stage direction off the top of his brain. He never uses a single um or pause in his speeches, sounds as confident as can be.

Flash way backward.

I never killt a live being, never felt I would. Granny keeps me in the kitchen baking pies with her while Pop-pop bird hunts in a clean sweep across the backyards down our street. Says she always seen something different in me than the other little boys. I don’t know what that something is but I love slicing apples rather than playing trucks and pirates anyway.

Flash all the way forward.

Johnny got one of those drop-top cars in lipstick red. We drive around, me and him, every day and night. Scoping. Johnny’s killt lots. Mostly neighborhood animals and the oddball people no one would miss. He says to me, “Watch ‘em good, Charlie. Pick ‘em good, Charlie.” But I hain’t picked no one yet. Says he’s still training me to.

Flash way backward.

Granny uses the picture window in our living room to watch the other kids. Says I should be friends with them. She tries to teach me how to play pirates, tries to get me to watch them too but I don’t wanna. Says I can’t stay in the kitchen with her all the time, even though she loves me to stay. She’s worried about me. She’s worried how much I chop them apples.

Flash all the way forward.

There’s someone in the trunk. Some oddball man. I think he’s tapping at the sides to get out. I think he’s yelling to get out. I think Johnny’s turned on because he smiles. I love seeing Johnny happy so I smile too. “My bounty is as boundless as the sea,” he says, “my love as deep, the more I give to thee,” he says, “the more I have, for both are infinite.” He lays his hand across my knee while we go high speed down the highway – his highway, my highway. Ours.

Flash way backward.

I go outside in a sword and eye patch costume Pop-pop bought. Granny says, “Pick ‘em good, Charlie.” Pushes me toward a group of neighborhood kids I’d only seen at school before. “We done playin’ like pirates, buddy,” they says to me, “go home.” The one girl spits at my shoes and misses. I spit back, hits her perfectly square on the forehead. Bullseye. The boys step hard toward me and I grab my play-sword. “I’ll chop you like an apple,” I says. Pick none.

Flash all the way forward.

I smell like dirt and blood. Johnny didn’t make me do away with the one in the trunk, but he sure showed me how to bury a man. Watched him like a picture of sainthood and example and he handed me a shovel. I pushed it down into that packed mountain soil like it was no one’s business but my own. I knew just how deep to make the hole. Johnny is impressed with me now. I love seeing him happy. We’re done and Johnny says, “Exit stage right.” We both laugh because Johnny is so funny.

Flash way backward.

Pop-pop brings his fresh killt turkey home for Granny. She kisses him on the cheek and the forehead for it because she says it’s a great present. Granny didn’t want me to watch how Pop-pop sticks his hand inside the turkey’s butt and pulls out its guts, but I seen. I watched him. Now I know why Granny kissed him twice. It really is a great present.

Flash all the way forward.

Johnny finds another one and says it’s my turn now. “These violent delights have violent ends,” he says. He hands me a long knife. This oddball reminds me of a neighborhood kid I didn’t get to grow up with, reminds me ‘cause he tries stepping hard toward me. Johnny pushes him back, Johnny says, “and in their trump die, like fire and powder.” Johnny gave him to me. Gave him to me still live n’ kickin’ but I hain’t chopped no live being before. I grab Johnny’s hands, kiss them both, he says, “which, as they kiss, consume.” Openin’ Johnny’s hands, I give him back the knife. I give it to him saying, “This bird hain’t mine yet.”