An American Vignette

An American Vignette

(The year is 1955,1974 or 2001 I haven’t decided yet. If I don’t, you can pick. I’m not sure it matters.)

“Big Bob Johnson, how the hell are You?”

Big Bob introduced himself this way. He always did every time. But only to new people. Big Bob was a supervisor at a muffler plant. Big Bob’s wife’s name was Mary. She was Irish. He was Irish. They were both big. She was a perfect wife for Big Bob. She was outgoing when he wanted her to be and silent when he wanted her to be. She hosted dinner parties. Often for other supervisors and their wives. Sometimes for various visiting businessmen. Big Bob and Mary had two kids. They had a boy and a girl. The boy was named Jonathan, he prefered John. The girl’s name is Margaret. John was a football player. Big Bob had been a football player. John made varsity when he we was 14. Margaret liked to play in her room. Big Bob liked to play with her in her room too. They made a deal not to tell John or Mary. They never did. John went to the same college Big Bob went to. He got a football scholarship. He met a girl. They got married. One day Big Bob was caught in his car with a neighborhood girl. That night Big Bob blew his brains out in his garage. That same night Mary found him. That sunday his whole family cried as his coffin was lowered into the ground.

Author's note: you do not have to continue this story I understand. If you want to continue I’ll make it brief.

Margaret was addicted to drugs. Margaret overdosed and died. John was killed in a car crash with his daughter. Mary died in a nursing home with dementia. She didn’t remember any of this.