“I Still Smile”
I still smile. Oh, yes! I still do. I’ve been through some tough times. I have seen things I would like to forget, but through it all, I still smile. If you have the time to listen, I can tell you everything I saw and felt during every single mile. No you say? That’s okay. Papa George listened when he decided to bring me his way.
I still wonder if he ever got tired of listening to my stories. Did he believe they were all simply made up allegories? I vividly remember when for the last time, I told him of the many miles I have traveled transporting young boys to reformatories. I was eager to tell Papa George about Birdie and George, but he never came back. As time passed, I was afraid I would end up abandoned in the old shack.
I must have passed out, for I don’t know how I got here, or who let me out. My surroundings are strange, the sunlight feels different, yet my smile is the same. Is my age bringing me unwanted fame? I don’t seek it, but my appearance seems to attract attention. Did I cross over into a different dimension? I must have. The cars here are much stronger than I, they bathe daily, and are amazed at my simple suspension.
Recently, I was approached by an interesting stranger who looked me over as if I was some weird relic. His presence was strong, and it somehow felt angelic. So much so that I proceeded to tell him the story about Birdie and George. He seemed eager and willing to listen, so I started by telling him about the treaty they both had to forge.
Oh, how I wish I could have told Papa George. I know he would have understood, for he knew these two troubled youngsters from the hood. No matter how much they tried, they could never catch a break. Hardworking and honest, their good deeds were always criticized, and written off as fraudulent and fake.
I transported them both to prison, where they turned themselves in. For what you ask? They witnessed a crime, and they both told the truth. Yet once again, they were written off as fraudulent and fake. They vowed never to change their story, even knowing their lives were at stake. Papa George would have understood. He knew these two boys. They were good kids, and they would sometimes ride with him to the lake.