Tag: truth

Let’s name him Jerry…

On By Jerry BrothertonIn Non Fiction, Short Stories2 Comments

A whisper into my mother’s ear by my fifteen year old brother Lawrence ‘Dean’ and she proclaimed me Jerry Wayne Brotherton. Old English in origin; a diminutive form of Gerald (The Ruling Spear).

In 1941, 1.3 percent of the population held the prestigious name. But for some reason, with World War II came the nickname for German soldiers…Jerries. Starting a downward slide that nearly drove the name to extinction and it’s never recovered.

I was born 16 years after the name peaked in popularity. Setting the tone for what would become my life’s motto…a day late and a dollar short.

March

On By Jerry BrothertonIn flash, Short StoriesLeave a comment

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March –

Named for the God of War but Loki is your nature. Each year you bring the prospect of spring yet your deceit hides that promise under your cloak of white. I should know better, but you understand how much I need to believe your promises.

Beware the ‘Ides of March’; Julius did not heed the warnings and you repaid his arrogance with the cold steel of betrayal.

Now you say that you are the master of time and will move the sun to bring me another hour of light. But you’ve only robbed from the beginning to repay the end.

Poetry Two

On By Jerry BrothertonIn Free Verse, Poetry6 Comments

I write you poetry to beg acceptance

Into a world that’s not mine

Hoping my words can talk to you

In a voice that I will never speak aloud

Feelings are difficult to breath into life

When there’s a battle between

My imagery and your truth

But what good is inspiration

If not earned through struggle

I only hope that one man’s dribble

Just might be your art

May 1st 1957

On By Jerry BrothertonIn Non Fiction, Short Stories5 Comments

It was 51 degrees in Carrollton, Missouri when I took my first breath that began this incredible journey called life. Although I have no recollection of the first 4 years of it, so I can safely say that in my mind, my life started on one warm spring day…you know what, let’s save that for another time.

It just took a little bit of one finger typing into Google to easily bring me up to speed on those early years. It was 8.40 PM on Wednesday when doctor Everett L. Smith slapped me on the ass and proclaimed me a healthy baby boy. By that miracle of childbirth, I took my place in the world as the 7th son and the 14th child born to Arlie and Sylvia Brotherton. At least that’s the official information from my birth certificate, but there will be countless times over the course of the next twenty years or so that I will swear that I was adopted.

My Zodiac sign is Taurus (the bull headed), ruled by Venus (beauty and creativity). My mythical Animal is the (Rooster), my life Path is #1; supposedly that makes me a born leader who insists on making up my own mind and demanding freedom of thoughts and actions. My birth stone is emerald, my flower is the Lily of the Valley and my perfect match, January 7th, 1961.

According to the internet, my psychological profile says I am bound to think, study, reflect and develop inner wisdom. In a past life, sometime around 950AD, it seems that I might have been a judge in France. My strengths were the talent to understand ancient texts, magical abilities and perhaps I might have been a servant of the dark forces.

In this life though, to my family, I was merely the fourteenth competitor for the attention of my parents. To the rest of the world an ordinary baby boy, nothing more than just another name among the 279,640 children born on that day.

You’re Never Too Old to Learn

On By Jerry BrothertonIn Non Fiction, Short Stories7 Comments

With the onslaught of modern technology that gets thrown my way every day and being older than dirt myself, with four children, four grand-kids, a son-in-law and a daughter-in-law that turn their faces away and snicker to each other every time I attempt to make a phone call…I know a bit about this subject. So yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks.

That still doesn’t mean that he won’t stand there and stare at you like you’re the dumbest thing alive. He’s just like me. I know what you’re saying and I know I can hit CTR-ALT-whatever in the hell.  Thing is, I just don’t care enough to do it. It’s a whole lot easier for me to feign ignorance and have one of you young whippersnappers ‘show up’ the old man. So, you have to wonder, who was it that just got taught a lesson?