Page 12 - Giv'er Miramichi Magazine - Christmas Giver 2023

John and the Old Army Boot

By Dolores W. Deredin

Every day after school seven- John took off his small right boot and took the veteran’s
year-old Jonathan would run home, old army boot and put it on his foot. John looked at the
grab his colouring book and crayons Sergeant-Major with great determination, saying, “I can do
and head over to the local park to it!”
colour. While colouring on the park picnic table, he watched The Sergeant-Major looked at John, smiled and said,
an old man walking through the park towards him. The man “Ok.” He picked up his newspaper and started reading it.
only had one leg; his left leg was missing. He sat down on Meanwhile John started off walking around the entire
the picnic table across from John. He was carrying a big beige park wearing the war veteran’s old right foot army boot!
coloured parcel and laid it down on the table in front of John. When John got back from walking all around the park he said
Curious, John wondered, “Now what does he have in that to the Sergeant-Major, “Wow this boot is really heavy.”
parcel?”
The old man started ripping apart the parcel. John
watched him and when he finally got the parcel torn open,
inside there was a pair of brand-new men’s boots. John
watched the man take off the old army boot on his right foot
and lay it on the table. He then grabbed his new right foot
boot and tried it on. He then looked up at John with a big
smile on his face and said, “It fits pretty good you know!”
John knowing the man only had one foot, politely asked
him, “Well what will you do with your other new boot?”
The man started laughing and said, “Hmmmm! Well, I
could give it to you!”
John laughed and said, “Well what could I do with just
one boot?”
The man smiled and said, “Well your mom could use the Oil painting by Dolores W. Deredin
boot to put a plant in. Maybe you could tie it up in a tree and
let the birds make a nest out of it? Well here young man, take The Sergeant-Major laughed when John said Wow! The
my new boot. You figure out what you want to do with it! By Sergeant-Major said, “You might end up wearing a big boot
the way, what is your name?” like that one day when you get a little older.”
“My name is Jonathan, but everyone calls me John,” he John noticing the time, said to the Sergeant-Major, “Well
answered. John then asked the old man, “Sir, what is your Sir, I have to go home now because it is near supper time and
name?” mom gets mad at me if I am late!” John could not stop talking
The old man answered, “My name is Sergeant Major about Sergeant-Major Betts all during supper time. “You
Betts!” should see him, Mom. He is my friend.”
John asked, “Gee Sir, did you ever go to the war?” He Many days went by, and John looked out the window and
answered, “Yes John, I fought in both World War 1 and World saw the Sergeant-Major sitting in the park. John said, “Mom!
War 2!” Mom! Come quick! There is the Sergeant-Major sitting in the
John looked up at the sergeant major with great pride and park.”
asked him, “May I put on your old army boot?” His mother looked out the window and said, “Well John,
The sergeant-major started to laugh and asked, “Well he looks like a good man!”
why don’t you take my new boot instead of my old boot?” “He is, he really is Mom. Can we have him over for
John answered, “I want to wear your old army boot! I supper?” asked John.
want to be able to say that I walked all around the whole park His mother answered, “No! We will have him over in the
wearing your old army boot!” garden for tea and meet with him that way.”
Now even though John was only seven years old, his The sergeant-major came over to the house and met
small foot could easily fit inside the Sergeant-Major’s old John’s mother. He started visiting off and on. One day, John
army boot. The Sergeant Major looked at him smiling and went over to the park but the sergeant-major did not come.
said to him, “It is a very big park John and an awful lot of Another man came instead. He was carrying a bag and sat
walking!” where the sergeant-major usually sat. As the man sat there,

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