Part 6 of 13
“Rest here Reb?”
“Sure Yank.”
“Just wanted to clear the bend.”
“Cleared.”
“Gladys and Lee’s this is.”
“It is.”
“Did they homestead the place?”
“No Gus, a few generations before them did.”
“When Reb?”
“It’s a farm of 14 acres.”
“Sounds normal.”
“Not much anymore.”
“So when did it become 14 acres?”
“In the 1870s.”
“After.”
“Yes, after.”
“What would Plato have said Johnny?”
“About homesteads?”
“Family I suppose I mean – and places like this.”
“For Guardians Gus -”
“Military.”
“- Family was to be abolished, as well as private property.”
“Weird.”
“Got Plato noticed.”
“What about Athena Reb?”
“Goddess of Reason.”
“Okay.”
“Family and property were defended.”
“How?”
“She had a sort of nickname, Athena Promachos.”
“Meaning?”
“She who fights in front.”
“Skirmisher.”
“Nice.”
“So Athena was a fighter and Plato a writer.”
“Yes.”
“Did this Lee here have a nickname Reb?”
“Spoon.”
“Whether Spoon?”
“Spoon’s around.”
“Spirit – I remember.”
“US Army too.”
“Right.”
“Wonder why we’re here?”
“Rest Reb.”
“Something else Gus.”
“You mean like why are we here?”
“Yes.”
“We could be any place.”
“True.”
“Gladys and Lee raised a family here, yes?”
“They did.”
“To raise a family is to rise.”
“Praiseworthy words Yank.”
“Spoon was military.”
“He was.”
“Like a Guardian.”
“Fair enough.”
“Then what would Plato's Republic have not liked about this?”
*Next Up: 5 February and part 7 of Republican Values: Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb On Our Way Meaning.
Posted by Bryan W. Brickner