THE LITTLE TOWN OF JOHNSON CORNERS HAD BUILT UP AROUND A SMALL MARKET
AND GAS STATION WHEN THE ROAD THROUGH IT WAS THE MAIN HIWAY BUT THEN THEY PUT
IN A FREEWAY THAT BY PAST IT SO THOU THERE WAS STILL ENOUGH LOCAL BUSNESS TO
KEEP THE STORE GOING AND ONCE IN A WHILE SOME ONE WOULD PULL OFF THE FREEWAY TO
GET GAS OR SHOP AND THE OWNER HAD NOTHING ELSE TO DO AND SHE DID ENJOY HAVING THE
LOCALS SIT AROUND THE TABLE IN THE CORNER OF THE STORE HAVING COFFE AND JUST
TALKING SO EVERY ONE WAS HAPPY . YOU REALLY COULD NOT CALL JOHNSON COR.’S A
TOWN ,IT WAS SIX FULL HOUSES AN SOME SHACKS AND THE STORE THAT WAS MOSTLY
OCCUPYED BY RETIRED FARMERS ALL OF WHICH LOOKED A LITTLE SEEDY AND I SAY SEEDY
BECAUSE THE HOUSE’S AND THE STORE WERE OLD AND NOT WHAT YOU WOULD CALL WELL
MAINTAINED . YOU COULD EASLY CALL IT A SLEEPY TOWN . THERE WAS THIS ONE FELLOW
WHO HAD COME TO TOWN A FEW YEARS AGO AND REMODELED ONE OF THE EMPTY HOUSES BUT
WHEN IT WAS DONE YOU COULD NOT TELL IT FROM ALL THE OTHERS . THE TOWN’S PEOPLE
KNOW HE WASN’T FROM THAT AREA BUT HE KNOW FARMING SO THEY ACCEPTED HIM AS ONE
OF THEM . PETER ARNEST WAS AN INTERESTING PERSON AND HE COULD TELL SOME GOOD
STORIES . THIS SEEMED TO BE HIS FUN SO EVERY MORNING THERE WERE FOUR OR FIVE OF
THEM AT THE STORE HAVING COFFEE AND TALKING , WEATHER WAS AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT
BECAUSE AS EX- FARMERS IT HAD ALWAYS BEEN . THEN THEY GOT TO POLITICS, THINGS
COULD GET HOT ON THAT SUBJECT SO SOME ONE WOULD CHANGE THE SUBJECT TO CROPS AND
WHEN A COSTUMER CAME AND THEN LEFT THEY WOULD TALK ABOUT HIM OR HER . IT WAS A
LAID BACK LIFE TO SAY THE LEAST . AT LEAST THREE OF THEM COULD BE COUNTED ON
EVERY DAY . THERE WAS PETER , FRANK AND JOE SOMETIMES DALE OR JOHN WOULD SHOW
UP BUT YOU COULD COUNT ON , OF THESE FIVE , AT LEAST THREE WOULD BE AT THE
STORE EVERY MORNING .THE STORE OWNER MRS. JOHNSTON OR CLAIRA AS EVERY ONE
CALLED HER ENJOYED THESE MORNINGS AS MUCH AS ANY ONE . THERE WAS THIS ONE MORNING THESE TWO CAR
LOADS OF TOURIST PULLED IN FOR GAS AND THEY ALL CAME IN TO SHOP AND CLAIRA DID
HAVE SOME ANTIC’S FOR THEM TO LOOK AT . AS THEY LOOKED AROUND THE STORE ONE
STOPED AND JUST FOR AN INSTANT HIS EYE’S FELL ON PETER AND JUST FOR AN INSTANT
MIND YOU THERE WAS A GLENT OF RECOGNITION . THOSE SHARPE EYE’D FARMERS COUGHT IT
THOU AND AFTER THEY LEFT JOE SAID DID YOU KNOW HIM OR WHAT WAS THAT LOOK FOR ?
PETER SHURGED HIS SHOLDERS AN SAID I NEVER SAW HIM BEFORE IN MY LIFE BUT HE
SURE DID GIVE ME A FUNNY LOOK DIDN’T HE AND THAT WAS ALL THERE WAS TO THAT .
LIFE WENT ON FOR A FEW DAYS IN JOHNSON
COR’S THEN ONE NIGHT ABOUT MIDNIGHT THE WHOLE TOWN WAS JARED AWAKE BY THE SOUND
OF GUN FIRE , LOTS OF GUN FIRE .MOST OF THE PEOPLE HIT THE FLOOR , THEN AFTER
IT STOPED AND THEY COULD HEAR CARS DRIVING AWAY AT HI-SPEED THEY CAME OUT TO
SEE WHAT HAD HAPPONED ? PETER’S
NEIGHBOR YELLED IT’S PETER’S HOUSE AND ALL WENT OVER TO SEE THE HOUSE RIDDLED
WITH BULLETS . OH MY GOD SAID JOE PETER
COULD NOT HAVE LIVED THROUGH THAT AND THEY STOOD THERE NO ONE WANTING TO GO IN
AND FIND PETER’S BODY .
AS
THEY STOOD THERE QUIETLY THEY HEARD A NOISE AND THERE WAS PETER CROWLING OUT
FROM UNDER THE HOUSE . LORD WE THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD SAID JOHN ? NO NOT THIS
TIME SAID PETER , THANK GOD I WAS PREPAIRED FOR THEM . EVERY ONE STANDING THERE
WAS DUMBFOUNDED , WHAT DO YOU MEAN SAID JOHN ? WELL I GUESS IT’S TIME FOR ME TO
FESS UP SAID PETER I GOT SOMETHING TO TELL YOU ALL . CLARIA SAID LETS ALL GO
OVER TO THE STORE AND GET OUT OF THIS NIGHT AIR AND THEY DID . THEY LET PETER
SIT DOWN AS THEY ALL STOOD AROUND WAITING . PETER FINALLY SAID I DID NOT MEAN TO BRING THIS TO YOUR FINE
TOWN , I THOUGHT I COULD HIDE OUT HERE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE AND I HAVE FOR
SOME YEARS NOW BUT THAT FELLOW THE OTHER DAY MUST HAVE REALIZED WHO I WAS AND I’M
AFRAID I BROUGHT THIS ON YOU BRCAUSE IT’S ME THERE AFTER . I WENT IN THE ARMY
WHEN I WAS NINETEEN RIGHT OFF THE FARM . I MADE A REPUTATION IN VEITNOM FOR
GOING BEHIND THE ENEMY’S LINES AND IF I DO SAY SO MY SELF I WAS GOOD AT IT .
FROM THERE I GOT INTO SECCRET GOVERNMENT SERVICE AND BELIVE ME IT WAS EXICITING
. I MADE A LOT OF ARRESTS AND A LOT OF ENEMY’S TO , SO OF THE PEOPLE I ARRESTED
SOME WERE VERY WELL CONNECTED WITH WORLD GANGS AND AN THEY PUT A CONTRACT OUT ON
ME . SO WHEN I RETIRED THE GOVEREMENT GAVE ME A NEW NAME AND I CAME OUT HERE
AND THOUGHT I COULD LIVE OUT MY LIFE HERE BUT I HAVE JUST BROUGHT THIS ON YOU
MY FRIENDS AND I’M GOING TO LEAVE AS SOON AS I CAN BUT FIRST I HAVE TO NOTIFY
THE SHERIFF AND THE GOVERNMENT ..I’LL BE GONE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS . EVERY ONE
WAS STANDING THERE WITH THEIR MOUTHS OPEN SO AS PETER SAT THERE WITH HIS HEAD
IN HIS HANDS AND THE REALISATION OF WHAT HAD HAPPONED TO HIM WAS SINKING IN HE WAS
MAKEING EVERY EFFERT TO CONTROL HIMSELF . THE TOWNS PEOPLE LOOKED AT THEIR
FRIEND AND ALL AT ONCE THEY SAID NO NO , YOU ARE ONE OF US NOW AND WE WILL
STAND BEHIND YOU , NO DAM GANG IS GOING TO DRIVE A FRIEND OF OURS OUT OF OUR
TOWN , WE ARE WITH YOU ALL THE WAY . JOE SAID A FEW OF US SEREVED IN WORLD WAR
2 AND I FOUGHT FOR MY HOME AND COUNTRY ONCE AND I’LL DO IT AGAIN , TO ME
COUNTRY MEANS MY NEIGHBORS AND YOU SURE AS HELL ARE MY NEIGHBOR . OH I CAN’T
LET YOU DO THAT SAID PETER IT’S MY PROBLIM NOT YOURS . WELL NEIGHBOR SAID JOHN
IT’S ALL OUR PROBLIM NOW . CLAIRA SERVED COFFEE AND THEY ALL SETTLED DOWN .
TELL ME SAID ONE HOW DID YOU SERVIVE THAT GUN SHOOTING ? PETER LOOKED UP AN
SMILED JUST A BIT SAYING I MADE A TRAP DOOR IN MY BEDROOM SO I COULD GET UNDER
THE HOUSE IN A HURRY . I FEEL VERY BAD THAT I DID NOT WARN YOU ALL BUT TRULY I
THOUGHT I WAS SAFE HERE .ESPISHLY AFTER ALL THIS TIME . PETER SAID I’M GOING TO
HAVE TO TALK TO THE COUNTY SHERIFFAND NOTIFY THE GOVERNMENT SO I’LL BE GONE
TODAY AND IF I KNOW THOSE PEOPLE THEY WILL WAIT A FEW DAYS BEFORE THEY TRY IT
AGAIN .PETER WENT IN TO THE COUNTY SEAT AND TALKED TO THE SHERIFF WHO HAD KNOWN
ALL ALONG WHO HE WAS AND CALLED THE GOVERNMENT FROM THEIR . THE GOVERNMENT AGENSEY SAID THEY WOULD TRY TO FIND OUT WHO
IT WAS AND STOP THEM AND THE SHERIFF SAID HE WOULD HAVE TWO PATROL CARS CLOSE
BY EVERY NIGHT THEN ASK PETER IF HE WAS GOING TO MOVE ON ? PETER SAID I
INTENDED TO BUT MY FRIENDS AND I DO MEAN MY FRIENDS THERE TALKED ME OUT OF IT .
WELL NOW SAID THE SHERIFF DON’T TAKE THE LAW INTO YOUR OWN HANDS TO WHICH PETER
SMILED AND SAID OH NO .
PETER BOUGHT SOME MATERIAL TO PATCH UP HIS HOUSE AND WENT HOME THERE HE GOT LOTS OF HELP AND ENCURAGEMENT . THE NEXT MORNING AT COFFEE ALL FIVE WERE THERE AND ONE SAID YOU FIGURE THEY MIGHT COME BACK AGAIN ? YES I'M’ SURE OF IT SAID PETER AS SOON AS THEY DETERMINED THEY DID NOT GET ME THE FIRST TIME . O.K. SAID JOE I THINK WE HAD BETTER MAKE PLANS , WE ALL HAVE GUNS AND WE KNOW HOW TO USE THEM BUT THAT’S NOT ENOUGH , YOU PETER HAVE HAD A LOT MORE EXPERANCE WITH THIS THAN WE HAVE SO TELL US WHAT TO DO ? PETER THOUGHT A WHILE AND SAID WE HAVE GOT TO STOP THEM SO THEY CAN’T GET AWAY . I FIGURE THEY WILL COME INTO TOWN LIKE THEY DID AND SHOOT UP MY HOUSE AGAIN AND MAYBE THIS TIME EVEN GET OUT OF THEIR CAR TO MAKE SURE I’M DEAD WHAT WE GOT TO DO IS MESS UP THEIR PLAN ? JOE SAID I GOT THAT OLD TELEPHONE POLE IN MY YARD IF WE COULD RIG UP SOMETHING TO PULL IT OUT IN THE STREET QUICKLY MAYBE THAT WOULD SUPPRISE THEM AND THROW THEM OFF ? YES SAID PETER BUT IT WILL HAVE TO BE PULLED OUT QUICKLY . I GOT AN IDEA SAID FRANK WHY DON’T WE DIG A SHALLOW HOLE AN STICK THAT POLE UP IN THE AIR AN TIE IT THREE WAYS AND ONE TIE COULD BE IN MY BEDROOM SO WHEN I CUT IT IT WILL FALL ACROSS THE STREET . I’M A LIGHT SLEEPER ANY WAY SO IT WON’T TAKE MUCH TO WAKE ME UP . THAT SOUNDS GOOD SAID PETER AND THEY ALL SET TO IT . THAT DONE AND ALL MADE SURE THEY HAD AMMUNITION , ALL THEY COULD DO WAS WAIT . IT WAS A FEW DAYS WHEN ONE EVENING PETER SAW THE SHERIFF CAR GO THROU TOWN AND TURN OUT TO THE FREEWAY , THE BAD THING ABOUT THAT WAS YOU COULD NOT SEE THE TOWN FROM THERE BUT THE SHERIFF FIGURED THEY WOULD COME FROM THERE . HE WAS WRONG ABOUT ONE O’CLOCK TWO CARS CAME DOWN THE OLD ROAD ONE BEHIND THE OTHER AND THEY WERE TRAVELING FAST AND MAKING A LOT OF NOISE ESPECIALLY IN THAT QUIET COUNTRY . TRUE TO HIS WORD FRANK CUT THE POLE WITH PERFICT TIMEING AND IT HIT THE GROUND JUST AS THE FIRST CAR GOT THERE . KA BANG THAT CAR HIT THE POLE AND THE CAR BEHIND IT SAW THIS AND TRIED TO SWING AROUND IT ONLY TO ROLL OVER AND HIT THE POLE SIDE WAYS . NO BODY GOT OUT OF THE SECONDIT CAR BUT THREE PEOPLE GOT OUT OF THE FIRST CAR AND STUMBLEING AROUND TRIED TO SHOOT AT PETER’S HOUSE BUT THEY WERE DROPED BY A VOLLY OF SHOTS FROM ALL KINDS OF GUNS . THE WAR WAS OVER IN LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES . JUST AS THE SHERIFF’S CAR PULLED UP . EVERY ONE WAS OUT IN THE STREET AND WHOPING AND HOLLARING , I’LL BET THEY WONT TRY THAT AGAIN SAID ONE . THE POOR SHERIFF DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO SAY HE JUST CALLED HIS BOSS AND AN AMBULANCE AND A BODY WAGON . IT TOOK SOME TIME FOR THINGS TO SETTLE DOWN SO THE NEXT MORNING EVERY ONE WAS LATE FOR COFFEE AND PETER WAS THE LAST ONE TO COME . AS HE GOT HIS COFFEE AND SAT DOWN JOE SAID LOOKS LIKE RAIN TODAY . OH THOSE CLOUDS COULD BLOW OVER SAID JOHN BUT WE DO NEED THE RAIN