The Unlikely Hero

This is the story of a young man from a family from the hill country born into poverty with little or no chance of ever rising above it.

He was born with few if any advantages that other young men would take as their natural right. In addition to being big in an awkward manner the Flatlanders found his manner of speech amusing and ridiculed him behind his back. As much as possible they avoided him and wouldn't even greet him civilly when they happened to meet; which was often.

And yet in spite of all this he somehow had acquired a sense of decency and integrity. In the most important things in life he was honest, but in the families need to survive financially he and his father didn't always follow the rules.

When faced with the somewhat traumatic decisions that all of us face at one time or another in life he was not found wanting; which, is more than can be said for many of those born with, "A golden spoon in their mouth."

Of course Lother, like all men who have trod this earth, shared so many wonderful things that do not and have not cost a cent. He enjoyed things like the beauty of a sunrise, if one has the ambition to get out of bed early enough to see one; or the splendor of a breathtaking sunset as dusk begins to fall.

Then there is always the occasional rain that cleanses the air and removes all the dust and grime from the trees and plants, leaving one with a feeling of renewal.

In the spring the birds migrate north and drop down to feed on any seeds or hapless insect that happen to fall into their grasp. Then in the fall the migration again occurs only at that time the birds are heading south. To a small very curious boy these things are things of wonder.

Also in the spring life renews itself with puppies waddling along behind their mothers; the bird eggs have hatched in the nest and soon the young birds begin to try their wings. Baby chicks, like little balls of fluff, try to hide themselves under their mothers wings or cheep as they peck at the food scattered on the ground nearby.

Somehow, Lother had acquired a very strong sense of compassion for other creatures less fortunate. Perhaps it was a result of all the Coon Hunts he had participated in on those nights when there was a full moon. He had seen a seemingly endless succession of Coons up in a tree piteously mewing and cowering, while the pack of hounds below bayed and tried to climb the tree after the hapless creatures. Perhaps this influenced him.

And so did Lother's family finally find the, "good life?" Did he conduct himself in a manner that he could be proud of? Did he find the right girl? Did he find happiness? Only by reading this story can anyone really find out.