Last Blog of "Hawkins County" Serial - 1970's Americana

At the end of this blog, you will know not only the character that is Jack Johnson, but also his story line in "Hawkins County."

The possibilities for Dave's future caused Jack to pause. He knew this meant his pal would be heading into battle in a jungle far away and the odds were against him coming back in one piece. In fact, the odds were better than fifty-fifty that he would come back in a body bag.

"Well, at least you know what your future will be for a while, and don't forget that you'll have the G.I. Bill to look forward to." Jack nodded his head. "You can milk that baby for four more years."

Dave shrugged and took another swallow out of his drink. "Yeah, I guess."

"So, what do you two sweethearts have planned?" Rosie said, steering the conversation toward a more comfortable topic. "Jack, now that you're both college grads, are you going to make an honest woman out of Marianne, or what?"

"Rosie Martin! Some friend you are," Marianne giggled.

Everyone at the table chuckled uncomfortably and played with their drinks. Their minds were still on Dave and the war. Jack felt he needed to lighted the mood and get the focus back on himself because after all, this was his graduation party.

"Hey, that's a mighty expensive situation right now, so we really have to be practical, Marianne and I." Jack looked up at the ceiling and scratched his chin as though searching for the right choice of words in the asbestos tiles up there. "We, ah, we need to evaluate our assets and develop a utilitarian plan."

"Oh, wow!" Dave and Rosie said together.

"Don't tell me," Rosie said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It's coming, yup, Professor Crochrow, Economics 101, right?"

"Old Professor Crotch-rot, that's right," Jack replied.

"Jack!" Marianne said. "Am I going to have to put a muzzle on you?"

Jack lisped as he limp-wristed Marianne, "Oh, promises, promises, only id it matches my studded dog collar and my leash, you silly girl."

Everyone sipped a drink and laughed at Jack's clowning around. Pleased that the conversation was going his way, he said, "No, now seriously, I've evaluated our assets, Marianne's and mine."  He leaned over and kissed Marianne. "We have a first class lover."

Dave and Rosie oohed together as they watched Jack and Marianne embracing.

"And," Jack sat up straight at the table, importantly, "someone with an excellent business head, so it's obvious we need to work the streets for a while. Maybe we'll go to the cities where the pickings are better. After five or six months at, say, ten grand a month, we'll see where we stand."

Marianne rolled her eyes at Dave. "I don't think I'll be able to stand the pace."

"Who said anything about standing?" Dave smiled as he said it. He smiled even more broadly as everyone at the table laughed.

"David, you too?" said Marianne. "Help! I'm outnumbered here."

"I guess you're right Dave," Jack said. "I'll have to break down and buy Marianne a calculator."

The whole table laughed hysterically. Dave slapped his hands on the table and leaned forward, shaking his head as the girls covered their mouths with their hands. Jack feigned seriousness as the others laughed. "What? You thought Marianne - oh no, it is I, Jackie Boy Wadd, that's my stage name you know, who shall perform the erotic services."

Finally recovering his ability to speak, Dave said, "Do yourself a favor old boy and apply for that Juvenile Probation Officer job over there in Hawkins County."

"Yeah, it was in today's Tribune," Rosie said. They're taking apps."

"PO job, huh? Hawkins County," Jack said, circling his finger at the waitress. "Have to look into that. Miss, another round for this table please."

This is where the "Hawkins County" serial blog ends. You now have been introduced to Pat O'Connor, the delinquent boy from Hawkins County, and his story line: "How long can Pat O'Connor outrun the law?" You have also met Jack Johnson, the nerdy jock and legend in his own mind, and by the foreshadowing in this blog entry now know his story line to be: an Jack Johnson land the job of Juvenile Probation Officer in Hawkins County, and can he bring Pat O'Connor to justice?

Read the book "Hawkins County" in the format of your choice, paperback, epub, or ebook at Lulu.com at the link below:

http://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep type=&keyWords=Hawkins+County&sitesearch=lulu.com&q=&x=19&y=8

Read as a kindle ebook at this link:

http://www.amazon.com/Hawkins-County-ebook/dp/B006TA38G8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376010607&sr=8-1&keywords=hawkins+county

Read as a nook ebook at Barnes and Noble at this link:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hawkins-county-steven-merrill-ulmen/1007909849?ean=2940016542867&itm=1&usri=2940016542867

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