Beech Tree News Network

“Poogene,” as we called him (Eugene was his first name) could have ridden the school bus home but opted to walk so he could smoke, throw rocks at road signs, and generally harass the younger kids who lived in town. He was just making time until he would be sixteen and able to quit school.  On top of all the meanness, he was mud-ugly and had few friends-other than his own kind.

I had vowed that when I got big enough, if I ever ran into him again, I was gonna clean his clock real good…to go fist-city, as it be.  Many years passed. I had almost forgotten Poogene.

I did know his younger brother Leroy. They were nothing alike. Leroy was a shy, likable, grinning kid who played the fiddle, graduated from high school, played country music for a while, and worked in the coal mines, I think. Leroy could play “Rubber Dolly” that would make you dance right out of your shoes.

One day I parked outside a big discount store in my hometown while my wife did some shopping. I kept looking at this fellow next to me, a little specter of a man, who’s head barely came above the lower part of the window. His head wasn’t much larger than a grapefruit and what little hair he has was white. Could it be” When he turned his head toward me, it was that same ugly face. It was Poogene!

Needless to say, all thoughts of giving him a good thrashing were done. He as a pity…a little dried up gnome. I learned later that the best job Eugene ever had was a road worker for the county. He hadn’t amounted to much. However, God loved him like He loves me and you.

Kindest regards...