3

Chapter 3

Then, there's Bufford Johnson.  Bufford was laid-off 5 years ago from Cosmo-Tech, a budding local software company that was, according to Cosmo-Tech CEO Russell Little, 'just on the edge of a mind-blowing breakthrough' which would place them at the financial summit of the software world. As we all know, some things just don't work out...especially when the CEO runs off with the secretary and $2.5 million in company funds.  They've not found hide nor hair of either.  So it goes.

The time was good while it lasted.  In a few months, however, Bufford's new Buick, his posh apartment on the brightlights side of the city and his grand scheme for forward mobility were foreclosed upon.  4 months later, his savings was depleted and the economy wasn't showing any love for future job opportunities.  Even the state employment offices lost hope for Bufford ever finding work.  A while longer, so did Bufford.  It is from our chosen professions that we garner much of our self-worth and identity.  After these blows, Bufford's was left a gaping, bleeding hole.

This being the case, he makes the most of the hand he's been dealt, taking advantage of the mornings and most of the afternoons by passing them in slumber.  When he does finally awaken, he makes his visit to my front lawn and sits with me in the picnic chair I set out for him.  It's one of those light-weight aluminum jobs, with rainbow-colored braided nylon for the cushion.  You know the kind.  We sit mostly in silence, watching the freeway get busy, busier, less-busy. Finally, alongside the setting sun, it becomes the irregular snore of some distant sleeping giant.

Yesterday, though, Bufford awoke early.  He knocked on my door just after lunch and, with the approaching tinkle of the neighborhood ice cream wagon bell in the distance, asked, "Hey, man.  You wanna sit outside a while?"
"Why not," I replied, and we drug out the picnic chairs early for our daily ritual.

I remember he told me he was feeling a little 'weird'.  I remember he said he wanted to do something that day that people would remember for a long time.  I remember thinking that could be a bad thing.  The free enterprise system has dealt Bufford a bad blow.  As a result, he isn't the most stable person I know.  Doing 'something people would remember for a long time' probably doesn't mean whitewashing over the gang graffiti on the bridge supports across the street.  And I was right.

Hold on.  This will all come together.