Marcus Wildhaber
Final Portfolio
Creative Writing
December 18, 2012
Dedicated to a man of intelligence, optimism, and peace
1. PBJ Narrative
If I Didn’t Care
“I am concerned about the whole man. I am concerned about what the people, using their
government as an instrument and a tool, can do toward building the whole man, which will mean
a better society and a better world.”
-President Lyndon B. Johnson
He stumbled, dragging his cart as well as his obscurity of a leg, almost falling as he
gripped the frigid rim of a dumpster. Taking a needed breath he let the cold wind whip his
chapped lips only to be interrupted by a violent cough into the inner-shoulder his infantry jacket.
Wedging his head into the opening of the dumpster he let out a grunt of relief as he reached in
and grabbed a jar of jelly. The jar was sticky, of course, with a few unwanted hitchhikers: a
clump of hair hanging off the bottom and a few toenail clippings. The jar also featured a thin
layer of what appeared to be excrement prohibiting one from even attempting to read what the
label had once said. He didn’t bother to take any notice any of it. Quickly as if trying to hide it he
stuffed the jar into the confines of his jacket slightly smearing jelly, among other substances, on
the already dirty jacket. Turing to his cart he retreated down the alley, falling once or twice.
Upon reaching the end of the alley he reached into his cart sorting through torn
umbrellas, plastic bags, containing what appeared to be old clothes, a few unwashed pans and
plates, broken fishing poles, a tire, a few dead pigeons and a coffee can full of sh- snatching up a
newspaper he flatted it on his rib cage which was visible through his shirt. Oblivious to him the
newspaper read “President Barack Obama Promises Change, Hope and Jobs”. Placing the paper
in one hand, he reached back into the abyss of his cart to fish out two pieces of moldy bread and
a napkin containing what looked to be a clump of peanut butter. Once in hand he bent down
dumping the load on the ground, one could tell the unpleasantness of his position by his
scrunched up face. Placing everything on the paper he began to smear the peanut butter on the
moldy bread with his index and what was left of his middle finger, only smearing a minimal
amount of foreign substances from his fingers into the mixture. Without wiping his hand he
reached back into his jacket to pull out the jar of jelly. He turned the jar upside down grabbed it
with both hands and shook it violently until both the jelly and the hitchhikers fell onto the slice
of beard. He quickly smashed the two pieces together and shoved the mixture into his mouth,
which wasn’t that hard to do hence his lack of teeth. He choked for a minute then swallowed.
After consumption he stood up, which took him a few tries, reached into his cart and pulled out
the coffee can.
2. Nonfiction Essay
Freedom and Democracy:
An Inquiry into their True Meanings
Or
A Juxtaposition of Political Theorist’s Philosophical Interpretations
Or
Whatever you make of it
Marcus E. Wildhaber
Creative Writing
Mr. Kozak
September, 2012
Part I:
A Slight History of Freedom and Democracy in the Western World
Throughout history man has gone through a transformation, an evolution, a dialectical
progression in which has lifted himself out of the oppression of tyrannical kings and economic chains and
created a system based on the ideas of consent of the governed and economic freedom. From the
beginning of civilization, via the Neolithic Revolution, early man developed government1 to free his own
life by giving the power of governing to another man. Early civilization such as the Sumerians, the
Egyptians and the Assyrians developed a governing system in which one man rules with absolute power
over everyone, leaving no room for man to participate in any political decisions whether it is their king or
anything for that matter. Continuing the dialectical process man saw the birth of democracy in Greek’s
city-state Athens. A new form of governing were every individual in the civilization had say in the
governing process by directly voting for political decisions. Then expanded by the Romans with the idea
of a republic where members of civilization voted for representatives to make decisions for them. The
system of a republic allowed man to surrender a small amount of liberty to a representative and appoint
the burden of governing to another man. Already man has gone under the revolutionary changes of a self
governing system opposed to the old system of an individual’s absolute power. Now, not every
civilization after the development of democracy took part in its practice; the great Empires of Europe in
particular: The British Empire, The Spanish Empire and the French Empire (among others) still took part
in the practice of monarchies.
Of course early civilizations had their individual freedoms or ability to take part in free trade until
the 9th century when Medieval Europe established the system of Feudalism2. The system of Feudalism
restricted the individual freedoms and promoted an economy based on the collective and was broken
down into social classes in which kings owned the kingdom, nobles owned the land and peasants worked
1. Government:
he organization, machinery, or agency through which a political unit exercises authority and performs functions
and which is usually classified according to the distribution of power within it. From Webster online dictionary.
2 Feudalism: the system of political organization prevailing in Europe from the 9th to about the 15th centuries having as its basis
the relation of lord to vassal with all land held in fee and as chief characteristics homage, the service of tenants under arms and in
court, wardship, and forfeiture. Definition from Webster’s Online Dictionary.
the land in return for food and a place to live. In the system of Feudalism ones economic opportunity was
strictly based on your position in the social structure thus preventing social mobility.
Not until the discovery of the new world in 1492 the ideas of freedom and democracy would be
placed on the back burner in the western world. The new world gave way to economic opportunity, a
scene of economic freedom presented itself with the new world; unlike the past economic system of
Feudalism the new system of economic freedom promoted the individual to strive, purse self-interest and
profit off his own accord. The free economic system would grow the overall wealth instead of the
Feudalistic approach of dividing the wealth. The new system of free enterprise or Capitalism would soon
rise in the new world replacing the collective system of old Europe.
Man sees the first practices of democracy in America with the establishment of The House of
Burgesses in Virginia in 1619 (liberal democracy) and the Mayflower Compact in the Plymouth Colony
in 1620 (social democracy). After the American Revolution and the failure of the Articles of
Confederation the young nation wrote their plan of government, the Constitution, establishing the
fundamental principles of the new nation as freedom and democracy.
Part II:
Interpretation
Looking at the words freedom and democracy their definitions are quite simple: Freedom: the
quality or state of being free: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action3.
(Freedom of the individual) and Democracy: government by the people; especially: rule of the majority 4
(Power to the people). The definitions are self explanatory and easy to understand but the question is how
to truly achieve ones interpretation of the words. One could also ask if the two ideas are at constant
3
4
Definition from Webster’s online Dictionary
Definition from Webster’s online Dictionary
conflict with one another or constantly working together. And do those who promote democracy restrict
freedom and those who promote freedom restrict democracy?
Part III
Enlightenment
First we shall look at the two men that inspired freedom and democracy in the Americas, John
Locke author of Two Treatise of Government (1689) and Adam Smith author of An Inquiry into the
Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776).
John Locke
Locke in his Two Treatise of Government explores the ideas of the state of Nature, the state of
Property and the Beginning of Political Societies. (Among others) Now to fully understand Locke’s
argument one must understand what was going on in Europe and in the Americas at the time of his
writing. Once the established colonies started profiting, by farming tobacco and the lumber industry,
England turned its eyes back to the colonies. England’s goal was to use their system of Mercantilism5 to
essentially use the colonies to create raw materials which would later be shipped and sold in England;
making bank off the colonies. But a few distractions kept England for executing said plans: Civil war
(1642- 1651), the Great Revolution of 1688 and countless wars against France, preventing England to
impose the mercantilism system to full effect until after the French and Indian War (1754-1763).
All this in thought John Locke articulated his argument defending the new developing American
ideas such as free trade and the consent of the governed. Locke begins his argument by developing the
5
Mercantilism: an economic system developing during the decay of feudalism to unify and increase the power and especially the
monetary wealth of a nation by a strict governmental regulation of the entire national economy usually through policies designed
to secure an accumulation of bullion, a favorable balance of trade, the development of agriculture and manufactures, and the
establishment of foreign trading monopolies Definition from Webster’s online Dictionary.
norm for mans state of nature by stating every man has “a state of perfect freedom” in which every man is
born into this state of freedom and has the same opportunities that nature has to offer.6
And to protect this state of freedom man has created government; man has taken his freedom and placed it
into the hands of an elected representative giving them their political power, Locke expands:
POLITICAL POWER, then, I take to be a RIGHT of making laws with penalties of death,
and consequently all less penalties, for the regulating and preserving of property, and of
employing the force of the community, in the execution of such laws, and in the defence of
the common-wealth from foreign injury; and all this only for the public good.7
Thus not only is it the government’s right to protect the natural state of man but also the preservation of
the individual’s property and the will of the community. If man is all free, equal and independent a
created government must be one of consent and be ruled by the majority. Without a majority rule and the
consent of the governed the formed governed thus would be undemocratic and tyrannical.8
As far as freedom and the right of the individual goes everyman has the right to his property.
“The property of his own person”9.Man using his own property, his labor, devotes it to perform a task
such as fishing. Thus the fish he caught has become his property and no one else has the right to those
fish, except his family which he may “appoint” to, but if man catches more fish that is necessary to feed
his family or to meet his needs he is stealing another man’s property.10 John Locke advocated for the life,
liberty, property and the consent of the governed and a government should be one based on the commonwealth of the people, by making decisions only benefiting the common-wealth, the overall weal being of
From John Locke’s Two Treatise of Government, Chapter II Of the State of Nature Section 4.
Direct quote from John Lock’s Two Treatise of Government, Chapter I. Section 3
8 Summarized from John Locke’s Two Treatise of Government, Chapter VIII Of the Beginning of Political Societies. Section 9596.
9 John Locke’s Two Treatise of Government. Chapter V. Of Property. Section 25
10 John Locke’s Two Treatise of Government. Chapter V. Of Property.Section 28
6
7
man and to protect the property of man were the individual is able to promote himself and look out for his
own self-interest.
Adam Smith
Adam Smith discussed with the economic system of Mercantilism wrote the Inquiry into the
Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776) critiquing Mercantilism and laying the foundation of
classical liberalism and the Capitalism. Smith argued an economy should be based on the individual’s
freedom and self- interest rather than the interest of the collective or the country that the overall
individual success would ultimately lead to the nation of as whole to succeed. Smith argued that
economic freedom was a must in a free enterprise economy because without the individual motivation of
self improvement the economy will surly fail.11
The economy should not be interfered with any government or authority figure thence the
previous statement that with a laissez faire economy would allow individual success growing the
collective nations wealth and success of a nation. Smith stated that government should old serve minimal
proposes global protection, individual protection and build and maintain public works. Smith called the
idea of self motivation “the Invisible Hand” as he explains:
“He intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as many other cases, led by and invisible hand to
promote an end which was no part of his intention.”12 Adam Smith found that by having a limited
government and a free market would allow the individual to prosper and develop the overall wealth of a
nation.
11
12
Wealth of Nations. Book I. Chapter II: Of the Principle which gives Occasion to the Division of Labour.
Wealth of Nations. Book I. Chapter VII
Part IV
Early America
Next are again two highly influence people in our history Thomas Jefferson and Alexander
Hamilton. Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, founding father and 3rd President of
the United States and Hamilton the 1st Secretary of Treasury and author of a majority of the Federalist
papers.13
Thomas Jefferson
When writing the Declaration of Independence Jefferson took great influence from former
theorist John Locke. Barrowing ideas such as mans right to life and liberty but excluding property and
adding the pursuit of happiness. Jefferson called for a government which feared its people enabling the
governed to alter or abolish their government.14 Discussed with the rule of the British monarchy Jefferson
concluded government should strictly be in the business of protecting the rights of the people.
During the schism of early American politics Jefferson organized one of the first political parties
of in the U.S the Democratic-Republican Party. Jeffersonians wanted a relatively small federal
government restricting it to only a post office but have strong state and local governments. But since the
failure of the Articles of Confederation the new Constitution was set up with a Federalist system
consisting of a strong federal government and state governments along with the idea of separation of
powers and checks and balances. Jefferson, with the republic soon to be born, felt the Constitution needed
a bill of rights to insure the rights of the people. Stating that without a clear representation of the peoples
right a government could take advantage of the situation and result in the infringement of rights.
13
At the time of publishment the Federalist Papers were entitled The Federalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favor of the
New Constitution. Published in The Independent Journal and The New York Packet between 1787 and 1788.
14 Can be found in the second paragraph of the Deceleration of Independence
The Democratic-Republican Party believed in no national debt which would allow more power to
states; because their being a national dept a notion so cumbersome would indefinitely need a large federal
government to regulate said dept, thus allowing the state and local governments to rule in small factions
and, in theory, make the system much more democratic. Along with the issue of the national debt
Jefferson and his Jeffersonian followers opposed the idea of having a national bank believing such a
system was already un-constitutional hence the mentioning of a national bank is absent of the
Constitution therefore, according to Jefferson, is tyrannical to impose and would present a new type of
class tyranny with the national bank at its head.
Despite the fact that Jefferson himself owned slaves and at the time of his presidency (18011809) only white men could vote Jefferson believed in an expansion of democracy to the whole society.
Jefferson on freedom can be summarized as restricting individual freedoms for a stronger democracy or
as “Free the many by depriving the few of support” 15
Alexander Hamilton
In complete opposition with Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton favored positive liberty, the
government using its power to improve the lives of the governed along with protecting their freedoms. As
a member and father of the Federalist Party Hamilton supported a strong central government opposed to
one of Jefferson’s preference. Hamilton among other Federalists, John Jay and James Madison, favored
the new government proposed in the newly written Constitution and wrote a serious of essays, the
Federalist Papers, supporting the idea of a larger government and the ratification of the Constitution. But
the Democratic- Republican Party refused to ratify the Constitution due to the lack of a bill of rights.
Hamilton strongly opposed the addition of a bill of rights stating the list of rights would be redundant and
dangerous to the American people:
15
Barrowed worlds of Mr. Brian Esselman.
I go further, and affirm that bills of rights, in the sense and in the extent in which they are
contended for, are not only unnecessary in the proposed constitution, but would even be
dangerous. They would contain various exceptions to powers which are not granted; and on this
very account, would afford a colorable pretext to claim more than were granted. For why
declare that things shall not be done which there is no power to do?16
Thus imposing a bill of rights into the Constitution would, according to Hamilton, limit the rights
of the people rather than ensure them. Of course the Bill of Rights would be added to the Constitution
including the 10th Amendment, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor
prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” Ensuring the rights
listed are not limited too.
After the ratification of the Constitution Hamilton was appointed Secretary of Treasury to
establish the county’s financial footing. An economic system was not chosen for the United States but
rather continued from the previous free trade of the colonies. Hamilton among other framers strongly
believed in the new economic freedom presented rather than the past feudalistic or mercantilistic systems
of the past, as history has shown. But differing from the Democratic- Republicans, Hamilton believed in a
national debt (as previously mentioned in vice versa) a national debt would allow for a strong national
government to impose high taxes and tariff. Another idea of Hamilton’s opposed to Jefferson, the
establishment of a national bank consisting of private ownership and slight government ownership, which
would be used to manage the national debt.
In his efforts to propel the United States into economic prosperity Hamilton may have supported
and established some policies and systems promoting individual freedom and restricting democracy.
“Support the few in order to help the many.”17
16
Found the Federalist Papers, paper number 84 entitled"Certain General and Miscellaneous Objections to the Constitution
Considered and Answered”
17 Barrowed worlds of Mr. Brian Esselman.
Part V
The Industrial Revolution and the Twentieth Century
Finally we come to a man who is often hated in the western world Karl Marx a 19th Century
German philosopher and author of The Manifesto of the Communist Party (1848) and Capital: Critique of
Political Economy (1867) and Friedrich August Hayek a 20th Century economist author of The Road to
Serfdom (1944).
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
From the growing exportation of the working class in Europe Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
wrote The Manifesto of the Communist Party or known as The Communist Manifesto (1848). Marx and
Engels saw the Capitalist system exploitative, unfair and an ill supporter of democracy, thus creating their
solution Communism: a stateless, classless, egalitarian society in which the proletariat18 would
collectively holds the means of production and promote equality and democracy. The Manifesto called for
a violent overthrow of the bourgeoisie19 society and the overall capitalistic system.20
A violent revolution was relevant and necessary in order to overthrow the bourgeois society,
destroy the notion of private property, the overall system of Capitalism thus abolishing the inequality of
the masses. Marx and Engels theorized the workings of the Communists and working class would form a
coalition and execute a revolution.21 Being that private property (bourgeois private property) is a tool used
by the bourgeoisie to exploit the proletariat Marx and Engels insisted the abolition of all bourgeois private
18
By proletariat the people in the class of the modern wage laborers who, having no means of production of their own, are
reduced to selling their labor power in order to live. Foot note originally footnote by Friedrich Engels in the 1888 edition of The
Communist Manifesto.
19 by bourgeoisie is meant the people in the class of social production and employers of wage labor Foot note originally footnote
by Friedrich Engels in the 1888 edition of The Communist Manifesto
20 Found in the Communist Manifesto. Chapter IV.Position of the Communist in Relation to the Various Existing Opposition
Parties. Page 116.
21
Found in the Communist Manifesto. Chapter II: Proletarians and Communists. Page 80
property. Not the property of the proletarian such as a car or a house or even personal items but the
bourgeois property specifically their overall wealth which would be redistributed among the proletariat
along with the property of the means of production (i.e. instruments of labor, factories, tools, ect.).22.Thus
as Marx wrote the Communist society would take…
…Place of the old bourgeois society, with its classes and class antagonisms; we shall have
an association in which the free development of each is the condition for the free
development of all.23
Marx and Engels were strongly opposed to the idea of liberal democracy stating that Capitalism by its
nature (the allowance of class oppression by a small group of people holding power over their
government, the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie) was paradoxical when it came to democracy. Marx’s
solution still being a form of democracy is a direct democracy under Socialism or Communism rather
than Capitalism.
Friedrich August Hayek
Faced with World War II and the Fascist dictatorships of Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler
raging the world was faced with quite a predicament. But according to F.A. Hayek the world was
challenged with another: the “progression” away from liberalism.24 Hayek saw the Western World was
22
Discussed throughout. Chapter II: Proletarians and Communists. Of the Communist Manifesto
Directly quoted from the Communist Manifesto. Chapter II: Proletarians and Communists.Page 95.
24 Liberalism: a theory in economics emphasizing individual freedom from restraint and usually based on free competition, the
self-regulating market, and the gold standard c : a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the
human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties; specifically : such a
philosophy that considers government as a crucial instrument for amelioration of social inequities (as those involving race,
gender, or class) Definition from Webster’s online dictionary.
23
progressing away from their basic fundamental principles.25 Hayek explains the abandonment and
previous warnings of said occurrence:
We have progressively abandoned that freedom in economic affairs without which personal and
political freedom has never existed in the past. Although we had been warned by some of the
greatest political thinkers of the nineteenth century, by Tocqueville and Lord Acton, that
Socialism means Slavery, we have steadily moved in the direction of socialism. And now that
we have seen a new form of slavery arise before our eyes, we have so completely forgotten the
warning that is scarcely occurs to us that the two things may be connected.26
Now to full understand this statement one must understand the history of freedom and democracy of
America which I will do in short. The United States founded on the ideas of what one may class classical
liberalism, the right to private property and the consent of the governed via the Constitution. But
throughout the U.S’s history these notions are left behind, somewhat for gotten and replaced with ideas of
taming and restricting the ideas of the individual and limiting democracy. Which Hayek calls this specter
out by name: Socialism.
Which this in mind Hayek feared that the Western world would soon collapse to said notion and
all the fundamental ideas of the Western World with it. Hayek states that we must stop this progression in
the wrong direction and return to the direction of true progress, the direction of true freedom of the
individual.27 A system of no restrains allowing the individual to strive with no government intervention a
system known as laissez faire Capitalism.28
Thus stating Hayek’s stance on freedom, his stance on democracy is not so much on the same
page. With the practice laissez faire comes essentially a small government one perhaps so small the
25
Summarized from The Road to Serfdom. Chapter I: The Abandoned Road.
26 Directly quoted from The Road to Serfdom.
27 . From The Road to Serfdom. Chapter I: The Abandoned Road.
28 Laissez faire: a doctrine opposing governmental interference in economic affairs beyond the minimum necessary for the
maintenance of peace and property rights. From Webster’s online Dictionary.
notion of democracy might be limited via individuals taking part in impractical practices. Or in the case of
a large government restricting the right of the individual Hayek explains “Personally I prefer a liberal
dictator to democratic government taking liberalism”.29 Hayek continues his views on democracy
A limited democracy might indeed be the best protector of individual liberty and be better than
any other form of limited government, but an unlimited democracy is probably worse than any
other form of unlimited government, because its government loses the power even to do what it
thinks right if any group on which its majority depends thinks otherwise.30
Hayek would condone the practice of a laissez faire economy ultimately freeing the individual to
his upmost max while condemning the idea of democracy, if the said democracy would limit freedom.
Part V1:
Conclusion
In the end the interpretations of freedom and democracy cannot be placed into a single category
but yet broken into two factions: The factions of limiting democracy but promoting freedom and limiting
freedom but promoting democracy. Thus stating that freedom is the restriction of democracy and
democracy is the restriction of freedom.
29
30
From a 1981 interview with Renee Sallas of El Mercurio.
Quoted from Hayek’s letter to The Times on Tuesday July 11th 1978.
Bibliography
Locke, John. Second Treatise of Government.1689
Smith, Adam. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.1776
Jefferson, Thomas. The Declaration of American Independence.1776
Marx, Karl. Friedrich, Engels. The Manifesto of the Communist Party.1884
Kronenwetter, Michael. Capitalism vs. Socialism: Economic Policies of the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R New
York, New York. 1986.
3. Poems
A Truthful Joke
I heard a joke once – He wrote it last week
I’ll recite it – Remember what he can
A rather old man couldn’t take a piss – Not even close
Concerned he went to his doctor – His wife drug him
He said “hey doc I can’t piss” – he said he was fine
The doctor asked “Did you try?” – He couldn’t remember
“Yes” – “No”
From Karl Marx’s The Manifesto of the Communist Party
The history
of all hitherto existing society
is
the history of proletariat oppression
We see
how the modern proletariat
is
itself the product of a long course of development,
of
a series of revolutions
in
the modes of production and
of exchange.
The proletariat
wherever it has got the upper hand
has torn away from the family its sentimental veil,
and has
reduced the family relation into a mere money relation
Haikus
Sun peering over
Mountain peaks and morning dew
Gushing blue river
Dark clouds fill the sky
Mountains crumble, grass be gone
The river drying
A black empty sky
Grim landscape void of color
Dead river bed
Shape Poem
One does
Wonder
Why
Christians
use the cross
as the
symbol of
their religion. It’s a phenomenon that not even Christians understand. Well as
one should know the Romans used a style of execution known today as crucifixion
This consists of nailing the accused to a wooden cross through his feet and his wrists.
Now, as we
all know Jesus
was crucified
under the court
verdict of the
Roman judge
Pontius Pilate.
So as the fable
goes Jesus was
crucified and
died for our
sins So Christians
use the cross, a
symbol of Roman
execution,
as their holy sign.
More Haikus
King and queen, castle grey
Nobles and surfs at his will
Working, starving, fall
White pillars rise high
A council of five hundred
Collapse of the Great
Golden republic
Republic falls, rise Brutus
Down with the tyrant
4. Short Story
Bedlam in the Badlands
By
Marcus Wildhaber
“The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in
her ability to repair her faults.”
- Alexis de Tocqueville
Dear Mr. Turner,
It is perplexing to come face to face with a certain group of people so ignorant, so
disorientated, and so pathetic that a man of even my stature and intelligence can’t come to a
simple conclusion as to what to think. Even with all my reason and factual intellect they are still
clueless to what one might call my forceful amelioration or my helping hand to their skirmish
excuse of an ideology. What is one to do with a group of people so helpless? God bless their
souls.
My dreariest apology for the delay of this letter; before leaving Black Hill I learned my
wife passed away. My poor darling, God Bless her soul.
***
The coach came to a roaring halt, dust from the desolate rails wiped around in a roaring
cloud against the steel wheels of the engine. A blank crusted landscape cracked under the full
moon illuminating a small wooden building with a rusted sign reading “Black Hill Train
Station.” A small elderly man, only alive by his teeth, sat in a wooden rocking chair gazing in
amazement at the steel beast. The chair screeched at each swing but went unheard due to the loud
engine’s roar. The coach door opened to reveal a well dressed man who jumped down, gave a
quick gaze around, not noticing the old man and yelled “Alright Mr. Adams things look clear.”
“Ah thank you Mr. Heming” A young man dressed in the highet of Victorian fashion
stepped onto the platform giving a quick glance around, took a deep breath, a few puffs of his
pipe and demanded, “Bring my bags to deck and be sure not to leave any- Oh, who are you good
sir…we mean no harm I am Benjamin A. Adams.”
The man kept rocking, coughed and stated, “I take it you ain’t be the monthly shipments
of goods for the Turner family ain’t yee?”
“No, I come from the east, I am a mere traveler.”
“You ain’t bringing any of ‘em Negros now did yee?” The question went unanswered and
the old man kept rocking. Mr. Heming finished placing the bags at Mr. Adam’s feet.
“Well thank you Mr. Heming. I will be leaving you now or I should say you are leaving
me. I’ll be back east as soon as my business is done.”
“Very well sir, umm sir may I ask what business do you need to exactly tend to in the
Dakota Territory?”
“That is to be kept to myself, now don’t miss your train back east”
“Right sir.” Mr. Heming ran for the coach.
“Now, sir I may ask you for your immediate assistance…sir where can I find the closest
town from here. Black Hill is the name.”
“Closest town. Closest town. I’d guess id be about 20 miles thata way.” The man pointed
a frail finger towards the hoodoo, licked his lips and said “’at would be Black Hill home of the
famous Turner family. Yeah, he owns that town you know. Founded by the Turner family couple
years back after George A. Custer founded gold out there, ’83 I believe was the year.”
“So this is the place huh? Could you be of any assistance in providing me with a horse?”
“George A. Custer good man, never meet ‘em but I’ve heard stories him fightin’ in that
civil war an’ all. It’s a damn shame them Ingins killed ‘em off a Bighorn, couple years back now.
God bless his soul.”
“Yes, good man fighting for our white west. Now, could you assist me with a horse?”
“I recon you find gold in these parts, yeah real good gold now… I heard a story about ol’
Custer. Said he was the brother of ten other siblin’s, smartest one out of the bunch too. Smart
man I’d vote him to be the president one day. Maybe he be running in ’92. He’s got my vote for
sure.”
“Sir, the horse… and Custer is dead… he was killed by savages at the battle of Little
Bighorn in “76. “
“Custer is dead?! That poor man I wish I’d know earlier. Say boy when yee get to Black
Hill tell everyone the news of Custer’s passing, they’ed like to know. God bless his soul. The
horses in the back there saddle up and take off the town’s down thata ways.” The old man
pointed over a hill away from the hoodoo.
After saddling up Mr. Adams rode off in the distance leaving the station, the hoodoo, the
old man, and the east behind. After ridding off the train roared away leaving only the sound of a
rocking chair screech.
***
After riding long into the night Mr. Adams reached the small town of Black Hill. The sun
was about to rise but the town was pitch black, and with much discretion only the shapes of old
wooden buildings were seen. Mr. Adams rode into the town and up to the nearest building. With
the adjustment of his spectacles and a squint of his eyes he made out the sign hung on the front
of the porch reading “In.” He tied the horse to the porch gathered his bags and stumbled into the
“In.” He entered a small room which was almost as dark as the summer night only illuminated by
a small, barley lit oil lamp that hung from the far wall. Behind the desk sat a middle aged man
wearing a somewhat nice suit, broken spectacles, and a distressed expression. Before the man
could open his mouth Mr. Adams blurted out, “Good morning good sir, is this the town inn? I am
Benjamin A. Adams a mere traveler that has business here out west and am in request of a room
for the rest of the night.” The man’s face turned to a somewhat assuaging smile.
“Oh yes sir, we will worry about payment in the morning. You look exhausted. Oh sorry
the name is Mr. Connaughton.”
“Well Mr. Connaughton this is most appreciated. A good friend like yourself is hard to
find these days.”
“Thanks sir, go on back through this here door up them steps and the room at the end of
the hall on the right.”
Exhausted Mr. Adams walked towards the doorway and before continuing on he turns to
ask “Mr. Connaughton, does this town have church in morning?”
“Oh yes sir. 8 in the morn’.”
***
Mr. Adams woke the next morning egger for church threw on a newly tailored suit glanced at his
pocket watch and realized it was 7:50. He quickly ran out of the “In” to be welcomed by a hot
glairing son. He stood on the “In” porch and gave the town a quick inspection. The town was set
up like your average stereotypical western city: wooden shacks, most of them containing porches
of some sort, parallel to each other with a main strip running in- between them. The wooden
buildings sagged, made up of rotted wood and covered in desert dust from roof to foot. The
entire town looked as if it was build 100 years ago and keep up was out of the question. In short
the town was in a definite state of decadence.
Mr. Adams strolled over to the church, which, like the rest of the town was falling apart.
The cross on top of the building was missing one of its arms and tilled slightly to the right. Large
factions of people were gathered talking with nothing on their minds.
“Good morning Mr. Adams good to see you are up in time for church.”
“Good morning Mr. Connaughton. I am just doing what any good Christian man would
do.”
Mr. Connaughton turned to the crowd and yelled “People, people we have a visitor to our
humble town. His name is Ben Adams.”
“Benjamin A. Adams. To clarify”
“Benjamin A. Adams people! He is here in regard to some important business he must
attend to. Now we should all give Ben here a warm welcome.”
The crowd was relatively quite only a few “Hey partner” and “Good morin’” could be
heard. The crowd continued their conversations. Mr. Connaughton turned to Mr. Adams. “So
Mr. Adams church will be starting soon we best get in and find a seat.” Mr. Adams followed Mr.
Connaughton into the church only to be disappointed in the church’s appalling state. Most of the
wooden planks, that used to be considered a floor, were molded and braking away. Wooden
benches littered the room in somewhat rows followed by a podium with a cross behind it. Mr.
Adams and Mr. Connaughton sat in the in the back. The rest of the town’s folk shuffled in and
took their seats.
A man stepped out of back room and stepped up to the podium and opened his mouth and
before he could start talking broke out into a rather violent coughing fit.
“Father Mills are you okay?”
After whipping the blood on his hand onto his black rode he responded “Yes my son.
Now may we begin?”
“Yes Father”
“We are gathered here today for one reason my sons and daughters, to give thanks to our
Lord. We have had some hard times in the few years here in Black Hill. But with all of your
help, Gods children, and the help of our Lord himself we have made it through these hard times
and we thank our Lord. With our Lords help we have made it through the winter of 1886. All our
cattle was killed during that winter but I have faith my children and you should too for I have
spook to our Lord and he will shine his eternal light and wave his ensuring hand upon us. And he
will turn this town around! He will make you healthy, our children healthy, and our new cattle
healthy! He will give us the strength to fix this town up, rebuild with a new beginning, a new
beginning for all of us here in Black Hill. He will make us strong like George Custer would want
us to be!”
The crowd in a yelling chorus yelled “Amen!”
“Children I will tell you a story about our great hero Custer. It was said when Custer was
fighting for our Union during Civil War he said he wasn’t fighting for the abolish of slavery or
just fighting President Lincoln’s war he was fighting it because he knew that our Lord wanted
him to fight that war. And with Custer and God on our side we defeated the spread of slavery
into our west!
“Amen!”
“We should not ask our Lord why he has taken Custer from us, because God has a plan
for everyone and it was our Lord’s plan for Custer to pass on up to heaven. Custer, just like
Jesus, died for you and me. Custer died in the name of our Lord and Custer died fighting those
savages that threaten our lives every day. God bless his soul.”
“God bless his soul!”
“Now we shall ask our Lord of one thing. We shall ask him that little Johnny boy here
finds a home and someone takes his poor little soul in.” A small boy could be seen in the front
pew. He was scruffy looking torn clothes and hungry too. “We give thank to those of you who do
your best to keep Johnny feed: Mr. and Mrs. Gohl and Mr. and Mrs. Warren. How we know
things are rough and we only can do so much to help little Johnny but Lord we are doing our
best. Now my children we all live to serve our Lord and keep the church alive and well but in
recent time the church has run short of funds and our Lord as well as me ask you for any scraps
of donations. I’ll send this here basket around.
Father Mills handed the basket to Mr. Warren who was sitting in the front row. Mr.
Warren took a few coins out his pocket and dropped them in the basket and passed it down the
pew. The town’s folk each placed a donation in the basket and was passed back up to Father
Mills. “Thank you children God and myself our so glad to see you donate your hard earned
money to our church.”
Before Father Mills could continue the doors in the back of the church swung open and a
man wearing a fairly nice cowboy outfit with a cowboy hat and cowboy boots stood with a grin
on his face. His outfit was most impressive and pristine but in comparison to his outfit his gold
badge that was pinned to his breast was more of an eye catcher.
“Howdy!”
“Ah Mr. Tuner good of you to take time out of your busy schedule to make a visit”
“Not busy enough to visit the house of God on the holy day.”
“We won’t keep you very long sir I’ve got the church’s donation right here.” Father Mills
reached down to pick up the donation basket. Mr. Tuner walked down the aisleand Father Milles
happily handed the basket to Mr. Turner. He walked to the door and turned around.
“You all have a fantastic day now.” Mr. Turner turned and walked out.
“Now children isn’t it so nice of Mr. Turner to drop in? Now that concludes today’s
service have a wonder day my children.”
The town’s folk including Mr. Adams exited the church and shuffled out in front of the
church and continued their conversations.
“Mr. Connaughton I must say Father Mills’ service was spectacular, nothing like I have
seen back east.”
“Yes he is quite the man isn’t he I’ve never seen a more devoted priest than Father Mills.
He is a good Christian; you don’t see many people like that anymore.”
“Yes, I agree”
“So besides business what brings you out west?”
“Besides business, mainly curiosity. I have always been fascinated by the American
West. As a lover of nature and hunting I have always dreamed of killing a buffalo.”
“A buffalo huh? Well Mr. Adams I’ll talk to some of the other men in town and see if we
could arrange for us to go on a hunt one day. That is if your business obligations don’t
intervene.”
“No, they shouldn’t get in the way at all.”
“Great well I’ve got to run back to the inn.” Mr. Connaughton walked on down to the inn.
A voice from the now agitated crowd yelled out “It’s not right you see for Mr. Turner to
come down here from his big old estate over the hill and steal our donations to the church!”
“Mr. Gohl I agree this has been going on for too long now. Every week we all gives a
donation to ‘at church and Mr. Turner justa comes down here and takes it away from Father
Mills and the rest of us good folk.”
“I couldn’t agree more! People Mr. Warren and I have a point do you see this tyranny?”
The crowd yelled in agreement. “We need to fight for what is right. We need to march up to Mr.
Turner’s estate and confront this tyrant.” The crowd roared with anger. Mr. Adams chuckled and
turned his back and began to walk back to the inn.
***
The next morning Mr. Adams woke again put on a new tailored suit and walked out onto
the porch of the inn. Mrs. Warren stood waiting.
“Hello, I’m Mrs. Warren, Mr. Warren’s wife. I heard yous was new to Black Hill and we
wanted to give you a good welcome so you’d remember us and maybe you’d come back
sometime. Mr. Warren wanted me to ask you if you’d want to come has dinna with us tonight?”
“That sounds delightful, what time?”
“Six,Mr.…”
“Adams”
“Six Mr. Adams, right over there in that house right there.” She gestured to the house
then ran off. Mr. Adams walked eagerly to the bar, which was right next to the church, to avoid
anymore interruption.
Upon entering the bar Mr. Connaughton, sitting at the bar, yelled out “Mr. Adams come
join me for morning coffee. Gohl get my customer a cup of morning coffee!”
“Good morning Mr. Connaughton.”
“Every morning in the Badlands is a good morning Mr. Adams.”
“So things yesterday after church got a little hectic with that Mr. Tuner fellow?
“Oh heavens no this happens every once in a while the people get upset about something
Mr. Tuner does, say they are going to overthrow his tyrannical grip he has on the town. But they
never do anything they will complain and it soon dies down until the next disruption occurs and
the cycle continues.”
“And him taking the church donations?”
“As an ex-business man myself I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Turner and the
Turner family. They came out here in the height of the gold rush here in the Badlands and started
from scratch worked their way to the top, Mr. Tuner that is. They took a gamble founded Black
Hill in ’75 and people just as eager to get rich moved out here the only problem was they weren’t
willing to work for their success they looked to Mr. Turner for some kind of hand out. Mr.
Turner is sheriff and owner of this town but I wouldn’t blame him for the current condition of the
town it is the poor’s fault. Mr. Turner does have a lot of money, however, that is his money. If it
wasn’t for Mr. Tuner this town would have never made through the winter of ’86. Mr. Turner
employees everyone in the town to simply keep the town itself going and if Mr. Turner needs a
little break I believe it is understandable for him to take from the church.”
“Yes, I agree I’m an investor back east and I know how things can get for a business
man. Things are the same way back east this is America’s rebirth from the great schism of the
Civil War. The Industrial Revolution hitherto and forever will bring great prosperity to America
and those Americans who have a dream of becoming rich and powerful. It comes down to an
opportunity notion. The laborers back east have no good work ethic; they don’t have respect for
their bosses. All they do is complain and form in there socialist unions and try to oppose this
great age. They complain about unfair hours, child labor, and the great separation of labor and
the upper-class. They should be thankful to be graced to be part of such a great time in
America’s history. It is shame that we see here too, the poor are keeping people like Mr. Turner
down; that is where the real chains are.”
“Mr. Adams I am growing to like you more and more it is good to finally talk with
someone with an intellectual pro enterprise outlook like yourself. Mr. Turner and I used to work
together, business partners you see, for awhile after the town started to get its footing. But Mr.
Turner had to make some important business decisions that weren’t exactly in favor of my well
being but we agreed that is was best for business.”
A man sitting in the back of the bar with a few other fellows, well drunk, stood up, barely
and yelled “Hey, Mista Connaughton quit your there yapping about Mista Turner! I’ma tryin’ to
enjoy my morning whiskey ands I don’t want to hear you talkin’ in no favor of that man you
here?!”
“Crud, your alcoholic ramblings are of most annoyance, my friend Mr. Adams and I are
trying to have n intellectual conversation.” The group of men all stood up and broke out into a
chant saying “Down with Turner, down with Turner!”
Mr. Gohl came out of the back room and yelled “We will not have this in my bar if you
wish to yell and patronize Mr. Tuner do it outside!” The men sat down and continued to drink.
***
“I’m glad you could make it Mr. Adams it is a great pleasure to have you in my home.”
“Mr. Warren the pleasure is all mine.” Mr. Adams, Mr. Warren, and Mrs. Warren sat at
the dinner table feasting on some sort of stew.
“So what brings you to Black Hill Mr. Adams?”
“Business I have a particular business interest that I am interested in and that is also
interested in me. I am sorry but I am not at the liberty of discussing details.”
“Oh that’s all right now.”
Mrs. Warren slightly angered blurted out “I think it is such a shame about that Johnny
boy not have a home and everything. He is just a boy I wish someone would just take him in you
know.”
Mr. Warren interrupted “God bless his soul.”
“Mrs. Warren if I may ask where is his mother and father?”
“Don’t get me started with that slut. You seen that slut Genève around town?”
“I believe I have.”
“Yeah that’s her boy. She got pregnant probably from that fat man who drinks
whisky all day at the bar. She has sex with all them men down there. She don’t even have
the right mind to claim that poor boy, everyone knows it’s hers, that dirty slut.”
Mr. Warren with an angered said “Alight now that’s enough talking from you now
you here?”
Mr. Adams unsure of what to say said “So if I may ask what was the ordeal about after
church yesterday?”
Mr. Warren’s wife chimed in “Oh Lord.”
To which Mr. Warren responded “shut your mouth women! Me and the rest of the town
are tired of being oppressed by the tyrant Mr. Turner is. He owns this town and everyone in it.
We are trapped here and trapped unda Mr. Turner. We are forced to work under Mr. Turner, we
have no other choice, he employs us all and we have no other job to choose from except from
him. And you saw he stole the donations from the church yesterday. He has more money than all
of in the town combined and he insists that he needs more of our money for the sake of the town.
That is why come election day this Thursday we is going to vote him not be the sheriff no more
so we can get some law and order in this here town.”
“Not to be rude Mr. Warren but you should be thankful to have some like Mr. Turner to
employ you and be thankful that your town is one of democratic nature. There is no need to slam
Mr. Turner for your economic stature; if you really wanted too you could be in the same position
as Mr. Turner but due to your lack of a work ethic and ignorance you are in the place you are in.
You cannot call it unfair that Mr. Turner holds the position he holds whether you truly have the
idiotic believe that it is unfair or you are blinded by jealously. The fact is, Mr. Warren, that there
is no inequality between you and Mr. Turner there is only inequality in your foolish mind.”
“Mr. Adams I find your comments to be very offending and distasteful I may not be
schooled and privileged like you and Mr. Turner but I know oppression and inequality when I
see it!”
“You are as blind as you are ignorant Mr. Warren.”
“Get out of my house you worthless excuse of a man!”
“There are no castles burring here Mr. Warren, so don’t let it bring you down. You have a
pleasant night, Sir.”
***
The clock in the bar struck 12 noon as Mr. Adams walked in gave the room a discussed
glance and took a seat at the bar. The bar was filled with the usual: Mr. Gohl stood behind the
bar cleaning shot glasses from the night before and from earlier this morning, Crud and his group
of drinking buddies sat drunk eating their lunch, Johnny boy sat in the corner chewing on a small
piece of cornbread and Mr. Warren was nowhere to be found.
“What can I get you sir?”
“A cup of your finest coffee and whatever is for lunch today.”
Crud upon noticing Mr. Adams presence in the bar yelled “Well God damn look who it is
Mista Business Man!” Everyone at his table burst into laughter. “I almost didn’t see you come in
‘ere, must be ‘cause I ain’t have my afternoon whiskey yet. Wheres you think you been alls day
Mista Business Man? See here Mist, Mista Turner thinks he owns dis here town but I do, I do
and my friends here. We is the workers of dis town we do all the work and Mista Turner don’t do
a God damn thing. Justa sits at his estate and counts his money ‘dat he takes from us here. Me
and my boys here figure if we are the workers of this here town then we owns it right? Not Mista
Turner.
Mr. Adams sat with his back towards Crud not acknowledging a word he said. “Hey boy
you goin’ talk me or am I gunna have to come over there and beat it into you?
Mr. Adams slowly turned in his bar stool to face Crud. “Now now Sir, that will not be
necessary. But I will tell you that I find it quite humorous that you and your fellow workers think
that you own this town because you are simply the workers. I have been in Black Hill for three
days now and I have not seen a single person lift a finger, unless it is your job to sit in the bar
and drink yourself to near death every day. You people to open your eyes and realize Mr. Turner
is the sheriff of this town. From what I understand Black Hill is fairly democratic, you vote for
your sheriff. If you should be upset with anyone it is yourselves for voting him in.”
“Das why tomorrow everyone ina town ‘s gonna vote him ou- not the sheriff no more.
Gohl bring me and my boys some whiskey to celebrate Mista Turner ain’t no sheriff no more.”
Mr. Gohl walked out of the back of the bar with Mr. Adams’ lunch and brought Crud and
his friends the entire bottle of whiskey expecting them to finish it. Mr. Adams turned away and
began to eat ignoring Crud’s rambles.
Crud turned to Johnny and yelled “Hey boy where your mama at? He just lifted his head
and glared. “Yeah haha boy you don’t know who your mama is do ya? Haha I’ll tell ya boy…
what’s ‘er name boys ughh yeah haha oh well it’s Warren’s wife. Best fuck I’d have in a long
while but at don’t make me your daddy boy could be anyone of us now haha. You run along now
boy.” Johnny eyes full of tears run out of the bar. “Poor bastard” Crud and his drinking buddies
burst into uncontrollable laughter.
***
The next morning Mr. Adams stood on the front porch of the in drinking a cup of coffee
watching the empty town which was deader than usual. Mr. Connaughton walked out the inn
next to Mr. Adams. “Mr. Adams I have a letter for you this morning”
He handed the letter to Mr. Adams who tucked it in his pocket and responded “Thank
you sir. Today is my last day in Black Hill Mr. Connaughton.”
“Is this so? Well Mr. Adams I hope you enjoyed yourself and we all hope to see you
again.”
“Yes a trip back west would be splendid. But for now Mr. Connaughton.” Mr. Adams
shook Mr. Connaughton’s hand and Mr. Connaughton walked back into the inn. Mr. Adams
walked down to the bar and sat down once again at the bar. The bar was empty except for Mr.
Gohl and Father Mills who was passed out in the corner with a bottle of whiskey in his hand.
“Do you happen to know the outcome of the election?”
“Well no one went out to vote so by default Mr. Turner remains sheriff.”
“You did not vote Mr. Gohl?”
“No I was here at the bar all morning I couldn’t seem to find the time. I was hoping
everyone else woulda went and voted for Mr. Warren for sheriff. But I can’t be dissatisfied with
the outcome because I’m just glad to live in a democratic society. Mr. Adams please excuse me I
need to finish cleaning up after last night.”
Mr. Adams sat alone pulled the letter out of his pocket read it and after reading it sat in
silence staring at the letter. Mr. Gohl walked back into the room. “Mr. Adams is everything
alright now?
“I got a letter this morning; it said my love is dead.” Mr. Adams, letter in hand walked
out of the bar and started walking down the town’s dirt street. Walking towards him was the old
man clapping out of time signing “Don’t you mind people grinnin’ in your face? Don’t mind
people grinnin’ in your face, O’ Lord. Just bear this in mind, a true friend is hard to find.”
***
But my current emotional state is none of your worries. My time in Black Hill was one of
most distaste; I now can understand your eagerness to sell it to me. Which I am glad we came to
an agreement where you and I are both satisfied. I have hired a group of men that are willing to
move with me to Black Hill and begin mining. I am sure by this time next year when I have made
the final moving arrangements and you have done moved east, the people of Black Hill will have
surely died off. Thus allowing me to establish a new mining town where you and I both will
heavily invest in. Mr. Turner I wish you the best of luck.
Your friend,
Benjamin A. Adams
Original Work
Of course there I was sitting in my own little part of New York waiting for the waitress to bring
me my coffee. It has been an hour now, almost 2 a.m. now. I’m content staring out the window at the
night rain slap the decollate streets. Watching the ever so rarity of a taxi pass by, probably with some poor
women just getting off her waiting job, gilded with optimism about becoming an actress but when the vial
is lifted a miserable little girl is revealed who so desperately wishes to be in her mother’s arms again
stands shivering. 2:01 the dinner is filled with everyone from someone to someone. Everyone doing the
same as me; wasting away their miserable lives in a dinner reminiscing on their mistakes that landed
themselves in such a shithole. Take the waitress for example, looks to be in her mid-fifties working this
night shift her entire life. Probably shared the same dream as the actress in the taxi. She tried and tried
again and things just never worked out for her poor soul now she is bound to this dinner. She doesn’t care
a bit anymore her shirt stained and partly ripped. 2:05 I remembered last week around this time a man
suffered a heart attack in the very seat I sat. Good man. He was relatively over weight but I know that
isn’t what did it for him. Two weeks before he said his son was murdered by a man who walked into a
dinner, around 3 a.m. with a hand gun a shot everyone in it. After that he spent his nights sitting where I
sit now weeping over an empty coffee mug. Then I suppose he couldn’t take it anymore and his clock ran
out. His son was newly married to a beautiful young girl, so I hear, had things going pretty good for him:
good job, knew all the right people, and never got into any sort of trouble. Makes me wonder what he was
doing at a dinner that late into the night. If I had to guess deep down he felt the same as all of us. 2:14 still
no coffee. 2:22 No coffee. 2:22 watch stopped. But who am I to judge I’m just as pathetic as everyone
else who sits in this dump. I knew it was come to this. Not me sitting in a dinner with the rest of New
York’s finniest but her packing up and leaving. She had big plans after school got out you know going
away for college leaving everything else behind. She said she don’t care too much for New York or
anyone in it. Said she loved me though. But sure didn’t seem like it when she left and acted like nothing
was changing. Maybe nothing was changing for her but I suppose this was just an unspoken
understanding that this was going to happen. It’s sad she was such a big part of my life but I was such a
small part of hers. It’s amazing what a minute can do. But I don’t want to bore you with another girl
leaves boy story. 2:22 I have no idea what time it is but I’m sure no one else in the joint knows either.
2:22 probably around 5:30. I have work in a half an hour so I’ll drink my now cold coffee and take a piss.
I just have nothing more to say.