Cover image for post Valley Isle 12, by JULIAK

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Valley Isle 12

January 14, 2018

Doc returned to the barn after a week. He kept playing Polonaise by Frédéric Chopin over and over. Each time with heavy hands. He was upset by something or someone. He came outside and sat on the edge of the stage. Hands covered his eyes and he started weeping and ranting; “ Why why why?” Jimmy came out to see if it was Jeff. Doc saw him and waved. “Damn worthless punks went out to the Hawaiians summer pastures and beat four of the goats. Poppo the elder found them and pulled them in on a makeshift sled. Poppo is 85! He should have not had to do this. The punks beat to adults to death and broke the legs of two kids. The police think one of the adults attacked a punk because Poppo found a t-shirt with blood on it. He turned it over to the police. They are hoping it is human blood. The police are examining the blood splatters at their forensic lab. The hospital and clinics are on alert for animal bites etc. I am just so upset when humans are so cruel to innocent animals.” I had to put the two kids down because their little legs were not repairable. Jeff came out of number one to see what was wrong. He was introduced to Doc. Jeff got weepy also then put his arms around Doc and said the Prayer Of Saint Francis Of Assisi:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen. Doc held him tightly and told Jeff he was happy he came to live with the family at the barn and if he ever needed him his door was always open for him. That Saturday the Hawaiian women picked some of the fruits and vegetables along with flowers to take to the roadside stands to sell. They told Danny the men were coming back that afternoon to play music. “We ladies will send some fruit and little cakes but we will not come because this is from the men only. They will make songs for the death of our little goat family. It will be soulful and sad.” said Mary Hilo. Danny hugged his auntie Mary and said he understood.

That afternoon the band came with their instruments. The men of the barn sat in front while the women sat in the back on the porch. It was quite a sad and serious day for all. The men were in the front to give respect to Poppo for bringing the goat family back from the pastures on his own. Poppo's son was next to him for support. The ceremony went on and a bit of new information was brought up that a suspect was found at one of the clinics looking for attention fr his goat bites on his arms and hoof marks on his back. They were waiting for the blood match on the t-shirt.

The music started playing. As the drums got louder and louder with an even mesmerizing beat it sounded like a war zone on the stage. Jeff started screaming and covering his ears. He ran to the back of number one and went down a hole. Jimmy followed him and saw that Jeff had started an escape route under the shop/apartment. There was a shovel nearby. Jeff was down the hole crouching holding a hand over his mouth. By now the music had stopped. Doc followed Jimmy. Jimmy told Doc it was Jeff's PTSD. Johnny heard them and went back to the stage and explained what was going on back there. Poppo's son, Matthew asked if he could go down and talk to JJ. “JJ” asked Doc? “Yes while I was sitting up there with my Dad I kept looking at Jeff. I knew I had met him sometime in my lifetime but could not recall. Then when he ran off at the sound f the drum beats I knew it was Jeff Jackson, JJ to me. We were tunnel rats in Nam for a short time. We covered each others backs. The drums sounded like bombs. It took me forever to get used to the band playing the drums. I'm fine with it now that I went for help at the Vet center for PTSD.” said Matthew. Jimmy brought Matthew to the hole and asked him to call Jeff.

“JJ it's me Matty. All clear. We're safe now. Friendly hands are here to take us home.” Jeff came out of the hole with wide open eyes and said: Matty are you sure? Are we going home.? “

Matthew and Arturo's son James both helped him into James car along with Jimmy they took him to the vet hospital for observation. James told his Dad to tell the others he would personally stay there with Jeff until they could help him get proper legal help.