Two Life Stories

At the county fair, there was a “hydration station” set up. Specifically, it was a table with water bottles set up for everyone to take. The sheriff’s office set it up so people would not get dehydrated in the heat. It was a very hot summer that year.

Simultaneously, two people reached for water. Mr. Boyd, a prominent citizen, grabbed a bottle. Iona, a scrawny immigrant, grabbed two bottles.

”You know,” said Mr. Boyd, “You mustn’t be greedy. There is enough water for everyone.”

Mr. Boyd was a war hero. Not a fake one, Americans often call anyone who was at war a hero, even if their job is to walk a stretch of sand for six hours a day. Even if their job is to turn a nation into a police state by checking street passes. Mr. Boyd fought and won, he killed trained soldiers on the other side to save trained soldiers on his side. He infiltrated enemy territory on foot, at night, surrounded by harsh climate and armed hostiles. He took out sentries and freed hostages. He was shot seven times in open battles, always returned to the theater of operations. He won a lot of new land for America.

Recently, he returned home, picked up the money he inherited from his father and invested it in a tire business. He was now a member of the Winatoga County Council and he did a lot of good work for the community.

Iona came from a small country in Eastern Europe with his sister. They had to flee because some of their countrymen took up arms, overthrew the government and, introduced a democracy based on Catholicism. Iona and his sister lived in a town which was considered Muslim, so they were scheduled to die. Nobody knew the schedule exactly, but it was out there somewhere and the uncertainty was killing Iona, so he grabbed he sister and fled to America.

All he knew in life was farm work so he found work with a chicken farmer in Winatoga County. Now, he was grabbing a bottle of water bottles for himself and his sister. He was doing so in a hurry because he had to man the chicken farm stand. He did not understand what Mr. Boyd had said.

He nodded and smiled. He responded, “Hi, how are you?” And ran back to the stand.

Posted by: Paweł Kowaluk