Pay It Forward Man

June 29, 2013

I’m walking west on the River Road and a wall of black rain rushes at me and then marble-size hail starts falling on my bare arms and legs. I’m bruised and stung and raw, a hailstone smacks the left lens of my sunglasses, and this kid stops in his truck and yells for me to get in. There are beer cans, a vodka bottle and candy wrappers all under his feet.

He drives me up Clifton Terrace to Genehouse, this beer drinking decent kid and I say, “Thank you, sir,” and he says, “Pay it forward, man.”

Indeed. Cosmos, bless this drunk boy on a Saturday afternoon, protect him and ease his pain.

About Eugene Jones Baldwin

I am a writer: non-fiction, fiction, journalism (Alton Telegraph), essays (The Genehouse Chronicles) and have a website: eugenebaldwin.com. I've published a couple dozen short stories and had eleven plays produced. Current projects: "Brother of the Stones" (available on Kindle), a book of short stories; "The Faithful Husband of the Rain, short stories"; "A Black Soldier's Letters Home, WWII,;" "There is No Color in Justice," a commentary on racism; "Ratkillers," a new play. I am an avocational archaeologist and I take parts of my collection of several thousand Indian artifacts (personal finds) to schools, nature centers, libraries etc. and talk about the 20,000 year history of The First people in Illinois. (See link to website) I'm also a playwright (eleven plays produced), musician, historian (authority on the Underground Railroad in Illinois, the Tuskegee Airmen) and teacher.
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