Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Nowhere Increase Winter series part 6 of 13
Shiva
“… Quite a story Reb.”
“Thanks Gus.”
“I didn’t know that’s how you got your name.”
“Most don’t.”
“Jonathan Rebel,” mused Gus; “funny how I thought your name came from Johnny Locke.”
“Our Dandy Rebels were Lockeans.”
“I thought somebody was.”
“In writing Common Sense,” continued Reb, “Tom Paine could sum Locke in just a sentence.”
“Why?”
“Too obvious.”
“I hear ya Reb: like explaining the Holy Spirit.”
“Paine just said of Locke’s theories what everyone knew: usurpation is indefensible.”
“Tom was English?”
“He was; what kind of name is Kotka?”
Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Nowhere Good “The good kind.”
“Of course Gus: where do you hail from is what I meant.”
“Like your story Reb,” Gus reflected, “where’s anyone really from.”
“True.”
“The Kotka’s came from over there.”
“Europe.”
“Over there.”
“Well, you were born in Indiana,” offered Johnny, “in 1833.”
“Yes.”
“So why Augustus?”
Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Nowhere Name “Just lucky I guess.”
“Emperor Gus one could say.”
“I was a private Reb.”
“It’s a name of honor.”
“It’s complicated.”
“How so?”
“Expectations.”
“The name is loaded.”
“Right.”
“Auspicious.”
"Correct."
“Illustrious even.”
“Fancy words for an Indiana hayseed, eh Reb?”
“An Indiana hayseed that gave a life for the Republic.”
“Augustus the Roman -”
“- Memento mori.”
““What’s that Johnny? …”
*Next Up: The Union 2016 winter series continues Saturday 13 February with part 7, Augustus and the Roman Republic.
Posted by Bryan W. Brickner
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