Assg. 75---“A border guard becomes involved in the trafficking of illegal drugs/immigrants.”

THE DRUG TRAFFICKING

©Mae Ondracek 6/23/05

“Hey, Joe. Did you hear the interesting thing going on around here?” Don asked.

“Interesting thing,” Joe asked. “What could that be?”

“Aw come on, Joe. You must have heard the news by now,” Don said. “It’s all over the barracks.”

“Well, I just got back from my vacation. What has been going on?” Joe asked.

“Well, I’ll tell you what’s been going on,” Don said. “They found a small bit of drugs in a clothes hamper and now they are trying to find out who used it.”

Joe started to laugh, “In a clothes hamper. Wow! Everyone uses that, but I sure hope they find out whose it is,” Joe stated. “Well, I better get on guard duty before they come after me. See you later on.”

Joe laughed to himself because none of his drugs had gotten out of their bags, he was safe. No matter, he’d lay low for awhile until this search blew over.

His shift went along smoothly with six P.M. just around the corner. He thought, ‘well, I guess I better stay in the barracks tonight. I don’t need to get in trouble.’ So, after chow, he went to his room and wrote some letters. His sister, Mother and Father and Uncle Jake would all be surprised to hear from him. He had been so involved lately, that his letter writing had suffered. He really wrote a long letter to his parents telling them everything about what was going on. He ended by saying how sorry he was that he hadn’t written sooner and would try to do better next time.

He knew he’d have to be very careful from now on or else get caught and he didn’t want to get caught. No, this was to good a thing to get caught with and he’d be out a lot of money when they did catch him. He guessed he better write to Dean to hold off for awhile.

“Dear Dean:

Well, it’s that time of year again and I guess I had better stay in the barracks for awhile. I just got back from my trip to the Atlantic, so guess I better stay put for awhile. Will see you soon, Joe.”

That aught to make him feel like he is thinking of him and not to get any more dope for awhile. Joe didn’t know how much the guys knew about the dope, but he had better be careful. He didn’t want to get caught.

There was a knock at his door and when he opened it, there were two MP’s there. “Hi, guys, come on in. I’m just getting my mail ready to go out,” he said.

The MP’s looked at each other, then one said, “We can’t do that, Joe. We’re to take you in for questioning.”

Joe was very cautious as he said, “For questioning about what? Can I mail my letters on the way?”

They said he could bring them along and mail them after he was through. So, he stuck them in his jacket pocket and followed the MP’s outside, saying, “What is going on fellows? Any news about that dope dealer here on the camp grounds.”

They wouldn’t answer him, so he didn’t push his questions. He sat back very quiet, thinking. They got to the guard house and they asked him to get out of the car. He did and they all went into where the guards were sitting. The main one stood up and said they were sorry to do this but everyone was getting questioned.

They asked him everything about his vacation to everything else. He had ready answers to all their questions and after an hour they let him go, saying they hope he had a good vacation.

He left and was surprised to see Pete standing there. Now, if anyone was guilty, it was him. He couldn’t survive any questions, so Joe thought it was clear that he better go someplace where he could watch the MP’s. So he sat in the Pub and had a drink, just Coke, because he had to be up and to work in the morning.

After half an hour, out comes Pete, looking like he is scared to death. He hoped he had been able to hold his own, but he doubted it. Pete always looked guilty, no matter what. He finished his Coke and headed out the door, just as Pete came by. “Hi Pete,” said Joe, “How you doing?”

“Oh, man, I guess I blew it,” said Pete. “I just don’t know what I answered them. I know I always look guilty, no matter what they ask me. Boy, Joe, I wish I was as brave as you are, they’d never get anything out of me.”

“I’m not brave, Pete. I just tell it like it is,” I said. “If you’ve got something to hide, they know it and really get into it with you. You know, I had to tell them about my trip to the Atlantic. Now wasn’t that a great idea, telling them about my trip,” and he laughed, like he didn’t care.

“Well, I guess I better go to bed, Joe,” Pete said, “This will make the night short for me; I have to be on duty at four AM.”

“Gosh, Pete, I’m sorry,” I said. “I hope you can go right to sleep. See you later.”

Pete turned off onto his lane and I continued to mine. When Joe got home he threw off his jacket and out flew the letters, “Oh, darn. Now I’ll have to mail them in the AM,” and he went to bed, to tired to think of anything else.

Joe was awaken by loud knocking at the door, “I’m coming, I’m coming,” he yelled. When he opened the door, he looked so surprised, that the men standing there could have laughed, if it wasn’t serious. “Well, what do you boys want, more questioning?”

“Get your clothes and come with us,” said one of the MP’s.

“Okay, just hold on while I get dressed,” and he went into the bedroom to dress. He came back out and was going to put on his jacket, when the rest of the letters fell out. “Drat. Now when can I mail them?” he asked.

“Later. This is more important,” the one MP said, and Joe threw the letters on the table.

“Sorry to bring you back, Joe, but this is very important. Is this your jacket?” asked the Lieutenant.

“Well, it looks like mine. Why sir?” asked Joe.

The Lieutenant turned out one of Joe’s pockets and he could see it covered with white stuff. Well, he knew what he had to do, so he lied, “Why, I loaned it to Pete awhile ago and he never got it cleaned before giving it back,” Joe said. “What is that white stuff?”

The Lieutenant said with a broad grin, “Well, boys, I guess we have our drug dealer. Lock him up.”

“But I lent my jacket to Pete and he must of gotten it in there,” I cried.

“No,” the Lieutenant said, “You hadn’t lent your jacket to Pete. We talked to him last night, too. I’m sorry, Joe, I thought you were a real good guy, but seeing is believing. Take him away, Men,” and he turned his back.

“But---but,” his questions went unanswered.

He sat in his cell thinking about everything that had happened and here he was in jail. How did that stuff get in his pocket, he’d like to know. He lay down and tried to go to sleep, but it was useless. He heard murmurs and wondered what they were talking about.

“Well, hello Joe. What are you doing here?” called out a voice he thought he knew, but didn’t even guess at it.

“That’s a good question,” Joe said, “I’d sure like to know what I’m doing here, too.”

“Well, what are you in for, getting drunk?” asked the voice.

“No,” answered Joe, “I never do that when I’m on duty. Do I know you?”

“Why of course, Joe, I’m your conscious,” and he gave a very high pitched laugh.

“Well, my conscious don’t talk to me, so good night,” Joe said.

The voice was quiet for awhile, then it said, “Joe? Joe? Why don’t you answer me, Joe? Come on, I want to help you get rid of the stuff you have.”

“Look,” said Joe, “Just leave me alone, will you? I don’t know what stuff you want to help me get rid of.”

“Oh come on, Joe,” the voice said. “Where do you keep it so it isn’t in the face of the Army guys?” Then the voice said, “Do you keep it at home under a floorboard?”

“Yea, that’s what I do. Now leave me alone,” and Joe turned over and finally he was able to go to sleep.

At seven o’clock, all the bells went off and Joe jumped like crazy. He forgot where he was and really fell on the floor hard. He was stunned for a few seconds and then he carefully got up. Nothing was broken, so he started yelling for the guard. No one came, so he tried the door and it opened. It opened, just like that. Joe couldn’t believe his luck, he was free. He went to the little cubical where his stuff was kept and grabbed it and left by the back door. He went way around to his apartment and seen the MP’s were there, so he left the Army base by was of a break in the fence. He could do well without all those clothes he had there. But he hoped they would mail all those letters he had written.

He hurried down beside the road. He didn’t want to be seen on the road because the Army guys would be looking for him. Suddenly it started to rain and he got soaked in very short order. The town of Erlin wasn’t to far ahead, so he hurried on his way. He was just about to Erlin when the Army jeeps pulled to a stop at Emo’s. Both guys got out and quickly went inside. They were back in just a few minutes and took off. They stopped at each restaurant and the stores in town and then took off. Boy, they didn’t waste any time, did they?

He’d have to go inside a house but suppose that wouldn’t be easy. He seen a woman outside and had to laugh at himself. This was going to be easier than he thought. He started coughing and continued on past the woman. Then he pretended to have a bad coughing spell and sat down in her driveway. He seen she was watching him, so he put his hand over his chest and really coughed. She came running to him, asking what was wrong. He coughed and said, “I—I need a drink. Some water, please.”

She helped him up and took him into the house. She gave him a big glass of water and asked him if he was hungry. He said, “Yes, but I don’t want to bother you,” and he coughed some more. He said he had come all the way from East Forks and was going to Boney Springs. But he didn’t know if he could make it. He’d make it as far as he could go and then rest. “Well, you should have some dry clothes,” she said as he shivered. “Let me get you something to wear,” she said, “Your about the same size as my brother.”

Just as she left the room, the phone started to ring. She quickly came back to answer the phone but she looked at Joe and he was really shivering, so she went to the bedroom instead, saying, “That phone, it always rings when you don’t want it to. Now let me find you something to wear.”

He followed her into the bedroom and closed the door, “Just so people can’t see me,” he said.

“Yes, but I will see you, if I don’t go out,” she said with a smile.

He pretended another bad cough and she said, “Boy, I wish I had something for your cough.”

“I’ll get something at the drug store. Thank you for all these things, Miss. I really do appreciate it,” Joe said between coughs. “I’ll go get something at the drugstore. Thank you.”

His back stiffened as he heard a knock at the door. “Who can that be?” he asked.

She said, “I don’t know, but quickly, take your things and the bakery I have ready and leave by the back door.”

He did as he was told and hurried out the back door and into the woods. He was far enough away where he seen the auto move out, and she came out into the yard. Even at this distance he could see the slap marks across her face. He wondered what had happened, so he quietly walked back to her and he seen she was crying. She heard him walking up and when he was close enough, she said, “Please don’t come any closer. Just leave. Please.”

But he had to find out what was the matter with her, so he said, “Was that your brother who came by?”

She shook her head, yes, then said, “Please, you better get out of here before he comes back.”

He don’t know why he said it, but it came out anyway, “Why don’t you come with me? I know it’s a lot of walking but we’ll make it. You’ll see.”

She looked at him, then shook her head, no. She was just to broken up to do anything.

Then Joe said, “Does your brother do that often, hit you?”

She shook her head, yes, but said, “He does this all the time. I don’t know what I’ll do when he comes back home. He’ll be very mean then.”

Joe said, “Why don’t you get a few things ready and leave with me? He shouldn’t be hitting you like that. Come on, I’ll help you.”

At first she said, no, but he helped change her mind and they went into the house where she quickly changed into jeans and grabbed a few things to change into. Then she went out into the kitchen and said, “We’ll have to hurry because he’ll be back within an hour.”

Joe said, “Okay, I’ve got enough to eat for a few days and then we’ll have to get something. Do you have any money?”

She said, “Oh, my gosh. I almost forgot my purse,” and she ran back into the bedroom and got it.

Joe said, “Well, what is your name? I can’t keep calling you nothing.”

“Ann. My name is Ann,” she said.

“My name is Joe,” he said, then they left by the back door, shutting it tight.

They ran into the woods and kept going until they were out of site of the house, then they stopped to rest. She said, “I can go further, if you want too.”

So Joe got up and they hurried on. Suddenly they heard, “Ann. Ann, where the hell are you?” They stopped and listened but they couldn’t hear anything more, so they just hurried on their way. They had to get far far away from here before it got to dark. Joe said, “Let’s stop and have a drink now,” and he plopped down on a fallen log.

Ann sat beside him and he noticed she was breathing hard. He took out a water jug and opened it and handed it to her. She drank a lot of water and finally he said, “That’s enough, Ann. You’ll get stomach pains from drinking too much.”

Ann quit drinking and said, “I’m sorry I did that,” and she handed the bottle back to Joe.

“Do you feel like going on now?” Joe asked.

“Oh yes,” she said. “Let’s go on to get away from this place,” and she got up and started walking again.

Joe caught up with her and asked, “How come your brother hits you?”

Ann said, “He always thinks I lie about everything,” she said. “I don’t lie, but he thinks I do,” and she started to cry again.

Joe put his arm around her shoulders and she cried like a baby for a few minutes, then wiped her eyes and said, “I’m fine now, thank you. It’s just that James can be so mean sometimes, that I’ve wanted to leave many times, but couldn’t. I’m thankful that you came today.”

They continued on their way and both were silent. Suddenly Ann’s stomach growled real loud and Joe stopped to look at her. He was laughing when he said, “I guess you’re hungry, aren’t you?”

Ann said, “Yes but they had to keep going to get away from there. She didn’t want James to find her.” Finally Joe said, “I guess we’ll stop and eat something now, Okay?”

Ann said, “Yes, I guess it would be better if we ate now and then went on further.”

Joe gave Ann a sandwich and he ate one, too. Then Ann said, “Please. Let’s go on now? I’d hate it if James found us.”

“James isn’t even looking for us out here,” Joe said. “He’ll go to town to see if your there, won’t he?”

Ann said, “I guess he would, at that. The evening bus would of gone by now and he’ll think I’m on it.” She gave a big sigh and kept walking.

Joe suddenly stopped when he seen a shack was out here and said, “Does anybody live there?”

Ann said, “Gosh, I don’t know. There’s not even a road out here.”

Joe told her to sit still for awhile and went up to the shack. He knocked on the door and waited. No one came to the door, so he tried the handle and it turned real easy. He went inside and looked around, then went back on the porch and waved to Ann.

She came in but was real apprehensive about being there. Joe said, “No one has been here for quite sometime. See all the dust all over everything?”

Ann said, “You’re right. My gosh this is ideal. I’m dead tired. I think I’ll go right to sleep.”

Joe said, “All right, Ann. The bed looks like it hasn’t been slept in, either. Do you want to sleep in it?”

“Oh no, Joe. I want to sleep where you are,” she said.

“Okay,” Joe said. “I just have to step outside for a minute but I’ll be right back,” and he left.

Joe came back and said, “You’re sure you don’t want to sleep on the bed?”

“No. No,” Ann said. “I couldn’t sleep there and let you sleep on the floor. I’ll sleep on the floor, too.”

They sat on the floor and he could tell Ann’s soft breathing, so he knew she was asleep. He lay her down in his lap and then he dropped off, too. They awoke very early in the morning. Something had awaken them and they listened to what was making that noise. It sounded like someone was chopping down a tree or something. They crept to the window and looked out. They couldn’t see anything because the windows were all covered with dust. Joe tried to clean off a small spot on the window but it didn’t work. The outside was dirty, too. The noise had stopped but they thought they should eat something before going outside, but didn’t.

They each had everything on their back and headed for the door. Joe told Ann to stand back while he opened the door and when he did there was no one there. Joe and Ann looked at each other, then walked outside. Joe said, “I must be dreaming. There is a little man sitting on that sawed off stump, isn’t there?”

Ann couldn’t say anything; she just shook her head, yes. They went over to the little man and Joe said, “Excuse me, Sir. But do you live here?”

The little man shook his head, yes, and Joe said, “I hope you’ll excuse us for using your home, but we were just so tired out last night, that we had to rest someplace.”

The little man shook his head, yes, then said, “But you didn’t ask for permission.”

“I knocked on the door and when no one answered, we just figured it was empty,” Joe said. “I hope you’ll excuse us for using your home to rest in.”

The little man looked at Ann and said, “Is she afraid of me?”

Joe looked at Ann and she shook her head, no, so Joe said, “No Sir, she isn’t afraid of you. She just can’t talk this early in the morning. Isn’t that right, Ann?”

Ann looked at Joe and said, “That---that---that’s right. You---you’re a cute little man.”

“Cute? Cute? What does cute mean?” asked the little man.

“Cute means you are very nice to look at,” said Joe. “You know, like, very nice.”

“You already said that,” the little man said.

“Well, it’s because we’ve never seen such a small person before,” Joe said.

He must have been all of two feet tall and really not to big around. With his cap and jacket on, you couldn’t tell exactly how big he was or if he had any hair or not. He said, “My name is Johna, please come into my home and have something to eat.”

Ann said, “Thank you, Sir, but we’ve already eaten. We wouldn’t want to eat you out of your home.”

“Don’t worry about that. You won’t,” laughed Johna. “Come on now, back into the house,” and he started shooing them back towards the house.

They walked up the stairs and into the house and stopped short. The table was set with all types of piping hot foods. “You’ll need extra nourishments if you are going to travel around. Now sit down and eat,” Johna said.

They sat at the table but didn’t know where to start, so Johna said, “Here, start with potatoes and gravy, then go on to the vegetables while I cut the meat.”

Ann said, “But---but is this real food?”

Johna laughed and said, “Once you eat it you’ll never stop. It is the best food around. Where are you from?”

Joe and Ann looked at each other, and Joe said, “We came from over in Erlin. Why?”

“You’re all the way from Erlin? My gosh, that must be right around 15 miles away,” said Johna.

“That’s where we’re from,” said Joe. “Is it really that far away?”

“It sure is,” replied Johna. “I don’t go there much. I go to Sweet Water if I need anything. The people there are much nicer to me.”

“I’m glad,” said Joe. “People should be nice to one another.”

Johna had the meat cut and passed it to Joe who said, “Gosh, Johna, this is just too great. I don’t know how we’ll ever be able to repay you.”

“I’m not asking for pay. You folks are way out here in the woods and you don’t even know where you are,” said Johna. “Where are you folks headed for?”

“We thought we’d go to Louisville,” Joe said. “You know, that is in Kentucky.”

“I know where Louisville is,” Johna said. “But that is a long ways from here.”

“I know, but we have to get there quick,” Joe said.

“How quick do you mean?” asked Johna. “That is a long way from here.”

“I know it’s a long way from here,” Joe said, “but we have to make it there as quickly as we can.”

Johna said, “You don’t want the Army guys to find you, do you?” and he laughed.

Joe and Ann looked at each other and didn’t know what to say. Then Johna said, “And you Ann, want to leave your brother behind. That is a very good thing. He’s mean.”

Joe said, “How is it that you know so much about us?”

Johna said, “I know a lot about a lot of people, and I’ll help you get to Louisville.”

“But, your such a little person,” Joe said. “How do you expect to help us get to Louisville?”

“You just eat while I make a few sandwiches and we’ll be on out way,” Johna said. “Oh, this will be such fun,” and he started to make the sandwiches.

These sandwiches he put in their parcels and also some fruit. Then he said, “Now, what do you folks like to drink?”

Joe said, “Just water will be fine.”

After Johna put everything in their parcels, he said, “Now, shall we go?”

“But---but you can’t leave your place and come with us,” Joe said.

“Just why not?” Johna said. “I can go anyplace I want too. Look out the window.”

Joe and Ann looked out the window and seen they were flying. Ann said, “Wow! We are flying. How do you do this?”

Johna laughed and said, “It’s amazing, isn’t it? We are flying to Louisville,” and he laughed and laughed. Then he said, “Never thought you’d fly, did you? Look down there. You’ll see Kansas. We are almost there.”

“Oh, my gosh,” said Joe. “We are really moving fast, aren’t we?”

“You bet,” Johna said, “and in 15 minutes we’ll be in Louisville.”

“Oh, this is great,” cried Ann. “Joe, we can start all over here.”

“I don’t think Joe wants to start over,” Johna said. “Do you, Joe?”

Joe gulped and said, “No way, I just want things to go on like they are now. This is great.”

“We are going to land in a field and you two will have to walk out,” Johna said. “Hope you don’t mind the long walk but it is very pleasant out. Enjoy your sandwiches and find a nice place to live. I might come to visit you folks someday.”

We were dumped on the ground and the house and Johna were gone. Just like that, they were gone. We wondered if it was possible until we looked into out parcels and there were our sandwiches and the water Johna had packed. We were so overjoyed, that we hugged and kissed each other until we realized what we were doing, then stopped, embarrased. Then at the same time we said, “I’m really sorry,” then we both laughed long and foolishly. Joe took Ann’s hand and they began to walk out of the field.

They soon came to a town and thought, why not. There was a pretty cottage sitting on a narrow path and they inquired if it was available. It was and they wondered how they’d pay for it. Joe reached in his pocket and his eyes grew very round as he pulled his hand out to find many bills stuck there. He stammered, “But---but---I never knew I had this much money. Oh, Johna, thank you very much.”

Ann looked in her purse and seen there was a lot of money in there, too. They hugged and Ann said, “Oh, Joe, do you think we are only dreaming.”

Joe said, “If we are, I hope it never ends.”

They bought the cottage and found they had a lot of money left over, so they went to the bank and showed their new ID cards. His name was now Johnathan Joans and her name was Annabell Owens. They laughed again and Joe said, “Well, Annabell, how do you like your new name?”

She said, “Well, Johnathan, how do you like your new name?” and they both laughed again.

They were very happy in their little cottage and soon raised four children to bring out the best in them. They were so happy that they named their first child, a son, Johna, to remember to never forget the dream of the only one who helped them. They would never need help again.