You long to be a big boy, Jerry? Want to be like Uncle John, and shoulder guns instead of sticks and know what\u27s wrong with all the world and how the troubles should be fixed? I see. You don\u27t like being just past six. You want to stride with head thrown back and shoulders square. You\u27d wear big boots and roar and swear

Colligan, Ione

Digital Commons @ Butler University

JUST PAST SIXlONE COLLIGANYou long to be a big boy, Jerry? Wantto be like Uncle John, and shoulder gunsinstead of sticks and know what's wrongwith all the world and how the troublesshould be fixed? I see. You don't likebeing just past six. You want to stridewith head thrown back and shoulderssquare. You'd wear big boots and roarand swear.Ah, but Jerry, does that grown upuncle many a day wistfully watch you atyour play, unaware that all the world'sgone mad and Uncle John is baffled-help-less-helpless as a lad? Does he see youhail with glee John Schmidt, Joe Pello,Sammy Lee, and does he wonder if 'tis you,not he, who knows the meaning of democ-racy? When you slip softly into churchand sing your simple, childish praise to Himwho gave us life does Uncle John finddearth of solace, faith a bitter memory, allhis world but strife?You tell me, Jerry, that you want tobe like Uncle John and shoulder gunsinstead of sticks and know what's wrongwith all the world and how the troublesshould be fixed.And does he, Jerry, wish that he wereonce more just past six?THAT IS WHYJEANE SISKELThey were as high as high. Belowthem, was not that full, rounded form ofyellow light the moon-the moon anchoredin distant music? Were not the suddentwinklings seen in the distance the stars?Were not those shifting shadows clouds?No; they were not. He and she weresitting together on the fourteenth green ofthe local golf course, the green which top-ped a bluff familiar to everyone. The yel-low light had its origin in the local powerplant, because what they saw were thelights of the park bandshell, below themonly because they were on a bluff. Themusic was, in reality, the local band pres-enting one of its infrequent concerts. Theso-called stars were the headlights of auto-mobiles, trucks, and busses which werecontinually passing over the highway thatbounded one side of the park. At the footof the bluff the trees, bowing to the breeze,merely appeared cloud-like.He and she were talking about thestars-the real ones. Their words, theirthoughts, their feelings were as high ashigh. That is why the physical worldabout them, when they were aware of it,had to assume ascending mimicries in orderto reach their plane of consciousness.-38-

Just Past Six

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Just Past Six

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