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Open Poetry #42
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Felix Never Touches Joe
| Open Poetry #42 |
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Felix Never Touches Joe |
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Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 
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Felix lives next door to little Joe. Joe is a little odd. Joe has this strange way about him. Joe doesn’t like to be touched. Every time you touch Joe, he screams. So of course, Felix never touches Joe. None of the kids in the hood touch Joe. They don’t want to make Joe scream. It’s not a right thing to do, and they just seem to know that. Felix has an idea why Joe screams when he’s touched. Felix’s bed room is next to Joe’s house. The walls are thin. Felix hears Joe scream at night. He hears Joe being hit at night. He hears Joe being hit every night. Years later, Felix learns that Joe suffered from haphephobia. Felix is glad he never touched Joe, or made him scream. Bobby |
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| © Copyright 2008 Robert E. Jordan - All Rights Reserved | |||
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LadyTom Member
since 2008-02-29
Posts 353LA, CA |
Good kid Felix. But he must felt hurt to know that little Joe got hit at night. What a dirty world. Sigh!!! |
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Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
LadyTom, Yes, it did hurt a lot, every night. I don't know what happened to Joe. He disappeared. I do know that Felix and I took care of him as best we could while he was around. Bobby |
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nakdthoughts Member Laureate
since 2000-10-29
Posts 19200Between the Lines |
haphephobia... means? I tried to look it up and didn't find a definition unless you meant it to me as it sounds a sad write...but I also know a child or two who do not like to be touched at all ( but not sure it's because they have been hit) M |
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Margherita Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236Eternity |
Poor poor Joe!! (I found the definition of haphephobia: morbid dislike of being touched) What it had to be like for that poor child!! When I hear such things I wish it was true that what we do onto others we shall experience ourselves ... Felix makes experiences that are indeed very difficult to "absorb". Thank you, dear Bobby, for another "shot" of incredibly cruel reality. We must not ignore it. Love. Margherita |
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
wow that's terrible I'm glad I don't have that! |
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Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
M, Some people leave the “h” off “haphephobia”. You might try looking up “aphephobia”. Margherita, Thanks for the kind words on this one. Joe was a very sad case. We all took care of him as best we could. Passing shadows, Yes indeed. It was terrible, and we should all be glad we don’t have that problem. Author’s Note: Felix and I grew up in the toughest neighborhood in the city. It was the only part of town where Doctors would not make house calls in the days when Doctors did that. Any of us would have robbed your eye teeth if given the opportunity. It’s interesting to note that none of us ever gave Joe trouble. We would warn unknowing social workers, or strangers, not to dare touch Joe. Kids have a sixth sense about such things. I don’t know what happened to Joe. He just suddenly disappeared from the scene one day. Bobby |
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Earth Angel Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215Realms of Light |
Felix certainly has been exposed to a host of extraordinary circumstances and experiences in his young life. However, he is learning and growing through them all. There's a saying, "He's a hard-luck Joe". ~ How sad that Felix's friend, be just that. God bless him wherever he may now be. Your stories on Felix's life experiences, never fail to touch me. Hugs of love for all three of you  Linda |
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Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Linda, I'm touched by your thoughts on this poem. You're a good woman. Thanks for the hugs. Bobby |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
Sad, to say, this story is familiar to me. Most never recover fully from brutal childhood experiences. Thanks for the sensitive write. (And thanks for sharing your thoughts on squirrels!) |
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Artic Wind Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 8080Realm of Supernatural |
Emotion Filled write Bobby ARCTIC WIND |
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Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Midnitesun, Thanks for the kind words on this. What you say about never recovering from a brutal childhood I'm sure is true to some degree. It brought to mind a young friend of my two daughters about thirty years ago. He had a terrible childhood of senseless, brutal beatings. He's grown into a fine man. He's devoted his life to nursing as a profession. He and I write to each other often, and visit. He's able to talk about it, and does. Recovery is possible, if rare. Bobby |
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Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Artic Wind, Thanks for reading and commenting. I hope you enjoyed it. Bobby |
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effjayel Senior Member
since 2007-09-30
Posts 1474At the Crossroads of Infinity |
Bobby, how sad that Joe had that condition & was being beaten as well, no wonder he screamed. So many of us have been touched by Felix, kind of ironic Joe wasn't ...John |
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Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
John, Yes, it was a shame that Joe had to live that way. Being beaten all the time was likely the root cause of his condition. None of the kids in the hood touched Joe. He was protected by us everywhere but in his own house. It’s really quite astonishing when you think about it, given the natural born cruelty of children. Thank you for your kind thoughts about Joe, Felix, and the rest of the gang. Bobby |
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Roniece Dawson-Bruce Member Ascendant
since 2000-01-29
Posts 5689Sydney, Australia |
I'm pleased Felix and his friends were looking out for little Joe.. what a sad life he must have had to endure... I hope someone was able to give him love in later years.. love RDB Be kind at heart....for everyone you meet has their own battle to fight......... |
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Marchmadness Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271So. El Monte, California |
How very sad that little Joe was safe everywhere but his own home and even sadder when you think that is often the case. Ida |
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Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Dear RDB, I hope so too. As I say, he just disappeared. A kid could just disappear in those days--especially, a kid like Joe. I've often thought he may have pulled a Virginia Woolf--stuffed his pockets with rocks and thrown himself in our Delaware River. No one would have been the wiser. Bobby |
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Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Ida, What you say is true. It is very unfortunate. Bobby |
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secondhanddreampoet Member Ascendant
since 2006-11-07
Posts 6394a 'Universalist' ! |
another VERY 'important' social impact/conscience reality write! [sadly, they can 'disappear' even these days] much applause!! |
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Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Secondhanddreampoet, Yes they can--especially a monetarily poor child like Joe was. Bobby |
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Earl Brinkman Senior Member
since 2010-03-03
Posts 1183Osaka, Japan |
Such a sad poem that is all too true. |
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