A Fuss Come to Talky Town

John Sturdy was a stoic man who held in his emotions. Questionable to many whether he had emotions, but I tell you he did. Why, he saw some of the rottenest things any man has seen, yet he remained stoic. His Ma got half-eaten by a rabid horse, she lived, but he saw it. He saw a thing catch on fire and kill a man. Once as a child, he saw a hungry kid not get any food... when he looked in the mirror! John Sturdy also stepped on spiders. He must've had his reasons. Hard to tell exactly what triggered him into the type of stoicism he displayed. Some even say that John Sturdy once wronged a man. But no one could ever confirm.

John Sturdy was the quiet man in the talky town of Talky Town. In Talky Town, word flew and talk traveled.

"Didja hear about yippity yap!?"

"Did I hear? Why, I fingle fangle on the dingle dangle!"

"Ya don't say? Well soupy-doupy-do!"

"Gasp! A gibba da gabba da!" said the people of Talky Town.

One day in Talky Town, the talk had strangely slowed to a mere chit chat. A drought, you might say. John Sturdy strode past the people of Talky Town on this particularly talk light day.

"Say, John Sturdy! Howsa boutsa zibba zabba?!" said the Talky Town folk.

"Nope." said John Sturdy, as he continued on his way to go sit somewhere and stare off.

The Talky Town folk didn't much care for that response. 

"Nope?! A mumble grumble!" they grumbled.

By the time John Sturdy got to his spot to stare off, with the sunlight hitting him just perfectly so that he looked very stoic, the talk in Talky Town was a simmerin' hot. 

"John Sturdy says a sassafras!" whispered one Talky Town.

"I hear he hetsom ketsom!" declared another.

"Well we don't need that kinda wobble gobble!" announced another.

"I hear he once wronged a man." 

And with that, a phonograph scratch echoed throughout the talky town, causing a moment of disbelieving silence.

The wind blew. Dust tap-danced. And Talky Town Man #1 spoke clearly. His words not to be mistaken.

"He better run."

Talky Town flooded the streets of Talky Town. Everyone had something to say. The drought was cured and spreading to wherever John Sturdy sought refuge, it was talk-mania. There was even talk that the talk might turn to action.

Ol' Deaf Albert was John Sturdy's only friend, they'd sit in silence now and then. Word traveled to Deaf Albert, he saw it only fit to warn John Sturdy of the talk wave comin' his way.

John Sturdy answered his door. Ol' Deaf Albert spoke,

"John Sturdy they're talkin' aboutcha."

"Mm." said John Sturdy, which was his way of asking what they were saying.

"They're sayin'... that you wronged a man!"

"Thank ya."

With that, John Sturdy closed the door. Turned around. And shed one single tear from his eye.

That was the time John Sturdy shown an emotion.