An unusually slow shift found the men of 51's A shift gathered around the kitchen table sharing childhood memories.
Chet had shared memories of Saturday morning matinees with his brothers; watching Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Wolfman; making themselves sick on soda and candy, and trying to scare each other with their own stories on the way home. Mike shared his first plane ride, going to New York to visit relatives for Christmas and the beauty of Rockefeller Center decorated for the holidays. Roy shared his excitement watching The Lone Ranger, The Cisco Kid, and Roy Rogers on his family's black and white TV.
Marco spoke of waiting for the ice cream man with his sisters and the fun of sitting on the front porch laughing as they enjoyed their frozen treats. Cap, being slightly older than the others, told of lying on the living room floor at night, listening to they exploits of The Shadow and Marshall Dillon on the radio as his family gathered round.
Mike noticed that the more the others talked, the quieter Johnny became, "Hey, Johnny, what's your favorite childhood memory?" Johnny looked like he wished the others would just forget he was there.
Chet spoke up before Mike could say anything else, "Yeah, Gage, it's your turn. What were your favorite shows? Was Tonto your hero?"
"No, Chet. I grew up on a Reservation in Oklahoma. We didn't have electricity, since the power company didn't think it was 'cost effective' to run lined out that far, so I never even heard of Tonto until I met you."
Chet looked shocked, "You mean no TV? No radio? No movies?"
"No, my memories are of setting out pans so Momma could make us snow cream; laying out under the stars with my parents as Poppa pointed out the constellations and Momma told me stories from our ancestors; going to Powwows and eating warm fry bread while watching the trick riders perform. We Didn't have many material things on the Res, but I felt rich. Until I lost my parents, I didn't know there was any other way to live. It wasn't until Aunt Rose brought me to LA that I realized anyone would think that I had missed out on anything."
Chet spoke up again, "Gage, you missed out on so much, I…"
Johnny cut him off in mid-sentence, "Chet, I had parents who loved me and made me feel special until the day they died. I had an aunt who cared enough to come get me and give me a home - even though she didn't have to.
"No, Chet, I wasn't missing a thing."
The rest of the men agreed, wholeheartedly.
