GROFF MEDIA 2024© TRUTH ENDURES IMDBPRO
Presented by benandsteve.com By: Benjamin Groff II©s
It was an old house on the southeast side of town. The floorboards creaked. The front porch sagged just a little in the middle. Jeb and Lorine lived there with their giant Boxer. The dog was as broad as a barrel. He was just as heavy when he flopped into your lap.
At five years old, Tim sometimes spent his afternoons there, waiting for his dad to pick him up. He had just started kindergarten and hated school—not just kindergarten, but the whole idea for the next twelve years. The only good thing was that, for now, Tim only had to go until noon. Then, most days, he’d end up at Jeb and Lorine’s, where things were much more enjoyable.
One thing about their house always intrigued Tim: the mysterious knocking and pounding under the floor. It was a constant occurrence as if something—or someone—was moving beneath them. Tim had been taught not to be rude and ask questions in other people’s homes. He sat quietly, but his mind was buzzing with curiosity.
Maybe it was the bees. Jeb had a beehive in the backyard and collected honey from it. Tim imagined a massive honeycomb hidden under the house, so big that its weight made the boards creak. He pictured golden honey dripping through the cracks in the floor. But no, that didn’t explain the noise. The sound traveled, shifting from one end of the house to the other.
One afternoon, while playing in the backyard, Tim noticed a small fence blocking off a crawl space beneath the house. It was big enough to hold an animal—maybe even a dog. But why would Jeb fence it off? Was he trying to keep something out? Or ––– keep something in?
Curious, Tim dropped to his hands and knees, peering into a dark hole in the foundation. He squinted, trying to make sense of the shadows. Suddenly, two glassy eyes stared back at him. A jolt of surprise went through his body.
Tim let out a startled yelp and scrambled backward his heart racing. He barely managed to stop himself from swearing in shock.
“WHOA! HOLY COW!”
The eyes moved closer, emerging from the darkness. Tim’s breath caught as the creature stepped into the light.
“A SKUNK!”
He shot to his feet and bolted inside, bursting into the living room where Jeb and Lorine sat.
“There’s a skunk under your house!” he gasped. “You gotta get a shovel—hit it over the head! It’s living under there!”
Jeb and Lorine burst into laughter.
“You met Johnny,” Jeb said, shaking his head. “He’s a buddy of mine. Come on, I’ll let you hold him.”
Tim’s eyes widened.
“Hold him?! Are you crazy? He’ll spray us!”
Jeb chuckled.
“No, he won’t. Johnny had his scent glands removed when he was a baby. He can’t spray.”
His words were like a soothing balm, calming Tim’s nerves.
Tim hesitated, his skepticism clear.
“How can you be so sure?”
He asked, his voice tinged with doubt.
“Because I raised him,” Jeb said, standing up. “Found him in my barn after his mama got hit by a car on the highway. Watched that nest for days, but she never came back. He would’ve died if I hadn’t taken him in.”
Tim followed Jeb outside, still wary. The last thing he wanted was to go home reeking of skunk.
Jeb knelt by the crawl space and softly said,
“Johnny, Johnny, come on out, boy.”
Tim tensed as the skunk waddled into view, its black-and-white fur gleaming in the afternoon sun.
Jeb looked at Tim and grinned.
“Son, I know what you’re thinking. Life’s about trust, taking chances, and finding things out for yourself. You can do all three right now.”
Tim swallowed hard, debating. Does he trust this?
Taking a deep breath, he held out his arms.
Jeb carefully placed Johnny in his hands, and Tim braced himself for the worst. Johnny curled against his chest, nestling under his chin like a kitten. His friendly demeanor melted Tim’s apprehensions.
Tim stood there, stiff at first, then slowly relaxed. The skunk was warm, soft, and oddly ––– pleasant.
After a few minutes, Jeb patted Tim’s shoulder.
“That’s good now. Johnny must return inside, and your daddy’ll be here soon.”
Tim handed Johnny back and followed Jeb into the house. As he sat on the couch, he waited for his dad. He thought about what Jeb had said. It was about trust, taking chances, and learning things for yourself.
When his dad pulled up, Tim climbed into the truck. As they pulled away, his father wrinkled his nose.
“What have you been doing?”
He asked.
“You smell like a skunk!”
Tim just grinned. And said –––
“I’ve been taking a chance on trusting people and other things and learning things for myself.”
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