Below a rough outcrop of
ancient rock a lonely figure sat sheltered from the brisk November wind. Ole
John Ruffin slowing turned a spit made from an old rusty coat hanger which
impaled a scrawny rabbit. He bent a little closer to smell the progress of the
dinner that included a large tin can containing boiling potatoes and a small
skillet cooking a corn meal Johnny cake. The inspection proved the meal was
nearly ready so he looked out across the played out cornfield below.
The huge rising full Moon
covered the field with magical silver light. Ruffin listened as the wind picked
up and blew through the dried stalks, sounding like a plague of giant insects.
From time to time a laugh or heave or grunt interrupted nature’s symphony.
“Boys, Come eat. It’s nearly
done!” he shouted
Two ragged children emerged
from the cornfield winded but still arguing. Ruffin paid no attention as they
sat on an old log next to the fire. He spread husks in front of each of them
and divided the potatoes, rabbit, and steaming hot coarse cornbread. The old
man took care to take the burned portion of the cake and give his older
grandson a little more than his third of the long awaited meal.
After a short prayer the
three ravaged their way through the food, too hungry for any manners. Besides
the food was too rough - lacking even salt - to enjoy the taste.
“Thanks Grampa.” eight year
old Bubs offered even though still hungry. Roy muttered the same and return to
the bored and insolent expression nearly universal among fourteen year olds.
“Grampa,” Bubs began softly,
sneaking a peak towards the brother he knew he was about to provoke. “Can you
tell us about the Man on the Mooooon?”
Roy jumped immediately to his
feet in protest. “Ever damned night you ask for that stupid story Bubs an I ain’t
hearin’ it again.”
“Pleeez Grampa!” The boy
begged, ignoring the escalating tantrum.
“I ain’t hearin’ it!” Roy
insisted and jumped to his feet. He began pacing by the fire. “All my life I
heared about teevees n cars n places you could go where people in funny hats
just handed ya all the food you could it and I ain’t believin' a word of it!”
“But we seen pittures!”
little Bubs insisted.
“I know, I know.” Roy
insisted, wrestling with his anger. “I seen plenty a car and not nary a one
moved. Uhn them teevees just sit there and never make me laugh or cry. And
there ain’t nothing’ gonna make me believe people just flew all over in
aeroplanes in the sky”
Bubs and Grampa John sat and
waited for the tantrum to play itself out as they always did. Roy kicked about
for a few moments then sat beside his brother.
“Sorry Bubs,” Roy said knowing
that the stories gave solace to his little brother who never complained about
an empty belly or the cold. “Go ahead Grampa; tell us about the Man on the
Moon.”
On cue John Ruffin began. “It
was a long time ago when I was about yer age Bubs…”
The younger boy listened
raptly, interrupting only with questions he already knew the answer to. Roy
looked around at nothing in particular nervously.
“… and my mom called me in to
watch. She said I couldn’t miss what the whole world was watching…”
“On the teevee.” Roy muttered
with adolescent derision.
“That’s right Roy. On
television. And she got me an ice cold Co-Cola from the icebox.” Ruffin
continued, his eyes nearly glazing over at the thought of such a forgotten
treat. “It was sweeter than honey and so cold that little beads of sweat
dripped off it…”
Bubs and his grandfather
seemed nearly oblivious to the cold as he continued the story. “And Colonel
Armstrong stepped off the ship…”
“Yeah, somebody sailed a big
ole boat all the ways to the moon!” Roy interrupted.
“It wasn’t that kinda ship
boy!” Grampa reminded him tersely. Roy knew better than to offer more barbs. “
And when he stepped off he said ‘ it’s a big step for a man, but a bigger step
for all mankind.’ “
With that Roy reached up and
slapped the back of his brother’s head. “Yer the Man on the Moon!” he teased
while jumping and dodging the arms of the littler boy. The two took off towards
the corn field, dancing and dodging, and laughing.
John Ruffin watched them
disappear among the cornstalks. He heard Bubs insist “I ain’t the Man on the
Moon, YER the Man on the Moon!” He raised his eyes just a twitch to gather in
the entire bright white globe above the field.
“Gawd, I could really use a
Co-Cola”
(Rededicated to Neal Armstrong on the day he travelled farther than the moon)
