Johnny B. Goode

&

The Nursery

Jude and Elanore were sitting on the side of the road; Elanore was trying to get a ride. Judestood behind her, amrs crossed. "Come On! Will one of you bloody cars stop!" Elanore yelled. Finally, Jude stood up, and pushed Elanore out of the way. He tried to hail one of the cars down, and it stopped. "What the…?"

"Elanore, you do realize…your black?" Jude said hesitantly. Elanore stood silent for a second. "Oh." Jude opened the door to the back of the car. "Thanks for stopping mate." The man, who was also black, nodded his head.

"Don't worry 'bout it. Y'all got to be careful down 'round these parts, white folks don't like our kind to much." He said gesturing towards Elanore. "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind…what's your name, mate?" He looked at her strangely. "Johnny B. Goode…You British too?" he asked as they headed down the road. "Yes, I'm Elanore and this is Jude, now can you please take us to the closest bus station?"

"I don't think I should. Lately, black folks have been beaten pretty bad around the buses, says it's 'cause Dr. King and his freedom riders." Jude and Elanore were confused. "You see, those freedom riders were attacked down in Alabama couple years back, ever since then they've been boycott'n and not ride'n them busses round here. I can take you two over the Maryland border and out-a Virginia if you like. Where yawl's headed?"

"Princeton." Jude answered. Elanore began to doze on his shoulder. "Princeton University! That's up in New Jersey; I can take you there, I'm headed to New York myself, got some business to attend to." He said in his thick southern accent.

"Thank you very much sir." He nodded his head. "No worries man. Hey, she your Girl?" He asked, gesturing to Elanore with his head. Jude smiled down at her sleeping form. "In any other circumstance, I wish she was. She's my adoptive sister." Johnny smiled. "Yeah, she's cute; I bet if it were any other circumstance, you two would be together."

"I'm headed to New York to be part of my own Band. My Mama always told me, 'Someday you will be a man. And you will be the leader of a big old band. Many people coming from miles around, to hear you play your music till the sun goes down. Maybe some day your name will be in light, saying: Johnny B. Goode tonight!' See I'm from Deep down Louisiana, close to New Orleans, way back up in the woods among the evergreens. I grew up in a country cabin made of clay and wood. I never ever learned to read or write a book so well, but I could play my guitar, just like a-ringing a bell."

"Is that why you carry a gun Johnny?" Jude asked. Johnny smiled back at him. He pushed back his black suit and pulled it out of its holster, setting it on the seat. "Don't worry, ain't no bullets. See, I used to work with this guy; his name was Teddy Eagan, used to call him Teddy 'Boy'. I've done some wild things in my day, but all that's over now. See I believe in the bible, "the path of the righteous man". Teddy 'boy' and I had to shake down a couple a cats for an employer of ours, we got kinda sloppy." Jude put his arm around Elanore, holding her tight. "What do you mean?"

"We didn't realize someone was in the bathroom. Next think we know, some cat comes at us…packing a 9mm. He unloaded that whole gun on us, and missed every shot. I swear it was Devine Intervention, God came down from Heaven and stopped the bullets. Ever since then, I've been retired from killin'. I just keep this baby with me for Sentimental reasons." Jude decided not to push the conversation any further.

Several Hours and a few stops later.

"Thanks a lot Johnny." Jude and Elanor exited the car outside of Princeton University. "Hopefully our paths will cross again young blood. Good Luck with finding your dad, Jude." The both smiled as Johnny drove away. Elanore walked towards the campus, taking in the sights and the sounds.

They walked around the campus, trying to find Jude's father. "Elanore, watch out!" Jude yelled. A man ran right into the unsuspecting Elanore, who was off in her own world. They both fell to the ground, in a cloud of books and paper. "Oh shoot! I'm so sorry I…Hel-lo" He stopped and smirked at her as she and Jude helped him pick up his papers. She smiled at his reaction. "Excuse me; you don't now where I could find Professor Huber do you?" The man shook his head. "No such person." He tried to walk away. "Professor Wesley Huber?" He turned around. "Look man, I've pretty much pissed off every professor in Princeton, and he's not one of them. Oh wait..." He chuckled. "There's a Wes Huber, right over there."

Jude and Elanore walked towards a man working on a window. "If you're looking for work kid, check with administration." Jude adjusted his bag. Elanore grabbed on to his arm. "Jude!" She whispered into his ear. He nodded his head. "I've got a job, thanks." The man looked at them. "Sound like a limey."

Elanore glared at him. "We are, yeah." He laughed. "I was, uh, stationed there during the war. Had some good times." Jude looked at Elanore. "Yeah, I know…I think I'm your son. " The man let out an arrogant grunt. "Yeah, I don't think so kid." Jude swallowed hard. "Me mother's Martha Feeny." The man stopped short.

A few Hours Later

Elanore sat outside the janitorial office, hopped up on the ledge of the high wall. She was happy for Jude, but yet, she was really sad that his father turned out to be a little less than what he hoped for.

Jude walked out, cigarette in hand. "So, what did he say?" Jude took a drag of his cigarette. "Looks like we'll be bunking down for the night." Elanore looked at the ground. "You okay Jude?" He scoffed as he lit another cigarette and tossed his first one. "Yeah, I'll be alright. Look we can talk about…" Suddenly they heard a crash and some yelling. "What was that?"

A man came running their way. Jude, nonchalantly, opened the door and let him in. A much of older men came running past. They stopped when they saw Elanore. "Hey, did you see some guy run by here? Blond hair, Yea High?" Elanore shook her head. "No." They groaned and continued running.

Elanore walked into the room as the man threw a flask at Jude. It was the man from before. "Jude, what's going on?" She said sitting down. "Uh, Elanore, this is Max. Max, this is my sister, Elanore." Max looked her over. "Are you guys like, half brother and sister? I mean cuz your, well…" He seemed like he didn't want to insult her. "Black?" Elanore said for him. He nodded his head yes. "I'm adopted from here in America, moved to England when I was two." Max nodded his head in understanding.

"Come on, I've got a better place you two can stay tonight." He said leading them across the parking lot.

"Welcome to the Nursery."