The Legend of Bobby Johnson

THE LEGEND OF BOBBY JOHNSON


Johnny gazed across the glow of campfire as his father told him a story of a ten year old boy who was left alone in a forest for two days. "Bobby Johnson had a special object that he lost out here and when the forest rangers finally found him, he didn't want to leave without it. Bobby called it his treasure and he felt like he couldn't live without it".

Johnny stood up and said, "Stop Dad! You mean that Bobby's treasure is still out here in the forest?" Johnny's dad nodded as he continued the story. "Bobby grew up close to this forest, but he always vowed he would come back to find his treasure. In the end, no one knows where Bobby Johnson is.”

“What do you mean the end? The story can't end!” Johnny shouted. “What about the treasure? What about Bobby; where is he?”

Johnny's dad shook his head and said, “I don’t know. "My dad told me this story at your age and I'm sure you’ll tell your kids this story too. Let's go to bed and tomorrow we’ll go fishing after breakfast.” Johnny was really tired, but he couldn't stop thinking about Bobby's treasure. “Bobby was ten just like me,” he thought, “what was his treasure?” Johnny fell asleep thinking about Bobby and his treasure.

The next morning while breakfast was being prepared, Johnny picked up a stick and started hitting bugs off branches. He started to count as he chased bugs from one tree to another. He was consumed with getting as many bugs as he could. When he finally reached ten bugs, he turned around to go back to the campsite, but he realized he was lost. He didn't recognize this part of the forest. He looked around and began to yell to see if anyone could hear him. No one, but a distant echo answered. When he followed the echo, he stumbled upon an entrance to a cave that was hidden behind vines. He pulled down the vines and grabbed a flashlight out of his backpack. He turned it on and stepped into the darkness of the cave. As he continued deeper and deeper into the cave, he heard the sound of running water. Johnny continued his journey crawling under stalactites and leaping over huge gaps in the floor until he reached the back of the cave.

At the back of the cave was a crystal blue lake. The lake was shining. As Johnny was trying to find the source of light, he noticed something shiny on the bottom of the lake.

Could that be Bobby's lost treasure? Johnny’s curiosity drove him to put his backpack down, even though he thought of many excuses. He removed his socks and shoes and climbed up on a flat stalagmite and dove down into the lake. Johnny swam as fast as he could until he reached the bottom of the lake. It felt like it was 100 feet deep. Johnny opened his eyes under the water and thrust his hand forward to grab the shiny object trapped in the mud. Johnny pushed off the bottom of the lake with the remaining strength that he had left, and swam to the surface of the water.

Johnny gasped for air as pulled himself on to the damp floor of the cave. Johnny couldn't believe his eyes. It was a quarter. The date on the quarter said 1957 and there were initials “BJ” carved onto the back. Johnny thought, Could those initials stand for Bobby Johnson? All of a sudden Johnny heard the sound of falling rocks behind him and noticed a shadow on the wall. As his heart began to race, the shadow got closer and closer until a face of a wrinkled man was lit by the dim light. “Bobby Johnson?" Johnny asked.

"Yes, you can call me Bob," said the old man. “Can I look at that object in your hand?”

“Sure," Johnny said as he hesitantly extended his hand towards Bobby.

"This is my treasure! Thanks for getting it! You see I can't swim and when I lost it 40 years ago I couldn't go after it. That lake is too deep for me.” explained Bobby.

“How come you call that quarter a treasure?” Johnny questioned.

“My dad gave me that quarter on my seventh birthday. He said that whenever I looked at it, it would remind me of him and Mom. When I was lost in this cave for two days, I looked at that quarter all the time. It gave me hope that I would see my parents again. My mom and dad died this year and I wanted to come and get this treasure. This quarter will help me remember them forever and gives me hope to see them again one day.”

“Wow!” Johnny said, “I had no idea that quarter meant so much.”

“Thank you Johnny, that is your name right?” Bobby asked.

“Yeah, but how did you know?” Johnny asked.

“I heard a man yelling for you on the other side of the hill.”

“That's my dad!” Johnny screamed.

“Let's get out of here Johnny, I'm sure you're parents are worried about you.” Bobby said.

Bobby and Johnny made their way out of the cave and over the hill. Johnny saw his dad and ran to him. Johnny's dad thanked Bobby for finding his son. Bobby patted Johnny’s head and said, “Thanks to your son I have my treasure. I was worried I'd never get it back.” Bobby reached into his pocket and pulled out a quarter with a 1990 date.

“Keep this as a reminder of this day,” said Bobby. “One day you will realize that the most important treasures are not the things we own, but the people that enter our lives.”

(c) natemanthey