Recent interesting read

Johnny Lingo's Eight-Cow Wife
by Patricia McGerr
Condensed from Woman's Day, November 1965
Reader's Digest pp. 138-141, February 1988

When I sailed to Kiniwata, an island in the Pacific, I took along a notebook. After I got back it was filled with descriptions of flora and fauna, native customs and costumes. But the only note that still interests me is the one that says: "Johnny Lingo gave eight cows to Sarita's father." And I don't need to have it in writing. I'm reminded of it every time I see a woman belittling her husband or a wife withering under her husband's scorn. I want to say to them, "You should know why Johnny Lingo paid eight cows for his wife."

Johnny Lingo wasn't exactly his name. But that's what Shenkin, the manager of the guest house on Kiniwata called him. Shenkin was from Chicago and had a habit of Americanizing the names of the islanders. But Johnny was mentioned by many people in many connections. If I wanted to spend a few days on the neighboring island of Nurabandi, Johnny Lingo could put me up. If I wanted to fish, he could show me where the biting was best. If it was pearls I sought, he would bring me the best buys. The people of Kiniwata all spoke highly of Johnny Lingo. Yet when they spoke they smiled, and the smiles were slightly mocking.

"Get Johnny Lingo to help you find what you want and let him do the bargaining," advised Shenkin. "Johnny knows how to make a deal."
"Johnny Lingo!" A boy seated nearby hooted the name and rocked with laughter.
"What goes on?" I demanded. "Everybody tells me to get in touch with Johnny Lingo and then breaks up. Let me in on the Joke."
"Oh the people love to laugh," Shenkin said, shrugging. "Johnny's the brightest, the strongest young man in the islands. And for his age, the richest."
"But if he's all you say, what is there to laugh about?"
"Only one thing. Five months ago, at fall festival, Johnny came to Kiniwata and found himself a wife. He paid her father eight cows!"

I knew enough about island customs to be impressed. Two or three cows would buy a fair-to-middling wife, four of five a highly satisfactory one."Good Lord!" I said, "Eight cows! She must have beauty that takes your breath away."
"She's not ugly," he conceded, and smiled a little. "But the kindest could only call Sarita plain. Sam Karoo, her father, was afraid she'd be left on his hands."
"But then he got eight cows for her? Isn't that extraordinary?"
"Never been paid before."
"Yet you call Johnny's wife plain?"
"I said it would be kindness to call her plain. She was skinny. She walked with her shoulders hunched and her head ducked. She was scared of her own shadow."
"Well, I said, "I guess there's no accounting for love."
"True enough," agreed the man. "And that's why the villagers grin when they talk about Johnny. They get special satisfaction from the fact that the sharpest trader in the islands was bested by dull old Sam Karoo."
"But how?"
"No one knows and everyone wonders. All the cousins were urging Sam to ask for three cows and hold for two until he was sure Johnny'd pay only one. Then Johnny came to Sam Karoo and said 'Father of Sarita, I offer eight cows for your daughter.'"
"Eight cows," I murmured. "I'd like to meet this Johnny Lingo."I wanted fish. I wanted pearls. So the next afternoon I beached my boat at Nurabandi. And I noticed as I asked directions to Johnny's house that his name brought no sly smile to the lips of his fellow Nurabandians. And when I met the slim, serious young man, when he welcomed me with grace to his home, I was glad that from his own people he had respect unmingled with mockery.
We sat in his house and talked. Then he asked "You come here from Kiniwata?"
"Yes."
"They speak of me on that island?"
"They say there's nothing I might want that you can't help me get."
He smiled gently. "My wife is from Kiniwata."
"Yes, I know."
"They speak of her."
"A little."
"What do they say."
"Why, just...." The question caught me off balance. "They told me you were married at festival time."
"Nothing more?" The curve of his eyebrows told me he knew there had to be more.
"They also say the marriage settlement was eight cows." I paused. "They wonder why."
"They ask that?" His eyes lighted with pleasure. "Everyone in Kiniwata knows about the eight cows?"
I nodded."And in Nurabandi everyone knows it too."
His chest expanded with satisfaction. "Always and forever, when they speak of marriage settlements, it will be remembered that Johnny Lingo paid eight cows for Sarita.
"So that's the answer, I thought: vanity.And then I saw her. I watched her enter the room to place flowers on the table. She stood a moment to smile at the young man beside me. Then she went swiftly out again. She was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. The lift of her shoulders, the tilt of her chin, the sparkle of here eyes all spelled a pride to which no one could deny her the right.I turned back to Johnny Lingo and found him looking at me.
"You admire her?" he murmured.
"She...she's glorious. But she's not Sarita from Kiniwata," I said.
"There's only one Sarita. Perhaps she does not look the way they say she looked in Kiniwata."
"She doesn't. I heard she was homely. They all make fun of you because you let yourself be cheated by Sam Karoo."
"You think eight cows were too many?" A smile slid over his lips.
"No. But how can she be so different?"
"Do you ever think," he asked, "what it must mean to a woman to know that her husband has settled on the lowest price for which she can be bought? An then later, when the women talk, the boast of what their husbands paid for them. One says four cows, another maybe six. How does she feel, the woman who was sold for one or two? This could not happen to my Sarita."
"Then you did this just to make your wife happy?"
"I wanted Sarita to be happy, yes. But I wanted more than that. You say she is different. This is true. Many things can change a woman. Things happen inside, things happen outside. But the thing that matters most is what she thinks of herself. In Kiniwata, Sarita believed she was worth nothing. Now she knows she is worth more than any other woman in the islands."
"Then you wanted--"
"I wanted to marry Sarita. I loved her and no other woman."
"But--" I was close to understanding.
"But," he finished softly, "I wanted an eight-cow wife."

Endorsement

Bath tub crayons are Amazing! (thank you Aunt Amanda) So much fun. They color on the walls and wipe off easily with a wet washcloth. Luke loves to color on the walls at bathtime, he mentions that he is looking forward to it periodically throughout the day.

So, big hit here at the Bonner household. Go buy some for yourself (and try to remember to share with your kids).

Some of Luke's artwork.

Happiness Defined

Being goofy with ALL of his stuffed animals on his bed.

Luke reading a-loud

Luke is reading the children's book, Are You My Mother?. If you are familiar with the story, I think you will be able to follow along! He's pretty good.

Some pics of Luke

I'm sure some of you have been wondering, "where are pictures of Luke?". I have been sharing some pictures of my extended family, but today its all about Luke!

Luke reading books, pointing out Adam and Eve.

Showing the Zebra. A tired profile pic.

A couple of BIG smile pictures

What a good looking kid!

Another proud moment

Alright-a bit delayed, but I wanted to wait until I got some good pictures! My brother Cody's graduation from 'A' School.

Here Cody is getting his "crows" pinned on (forgive me if I botch the military terms), Amanda (my sister) is pinning on one of our Aunt Keeli's, and Courtney(my sister-in-law) is pinning on one of Amanda's-very sentimental moment.

Cody walking! Can you tell which one his is?!


Cody looking all tall and military, and then together, my Coastie siblings.

Cody and Courtney on their way to their new unit in Galveston, Texas (already there!).

Congratulations Cody! We wished we could've been there, but our thoughts were with you. As they are now while you and Courtney settle in! See you soon.

Where was I this past Saturday?

I had the wonderful opportunity (thanks Annelle!) to be at my very good friends' wedding this past weekend. Laura and I have been friends since you measured our ages in months not years, she was in my wedding and I was so excited to get to go to hers! It was in TEXAS! Lots of traveling, and I left the boys here at home while I fly to and drove through the state of Texas.

A beautiful wedding and a new Mr. and Mrs. Nathan and Laura Janak! Congrats guys.

Awww

The other day I sneezed, and Luke put his hand on my face and said, "Bless you Mommy." aaawww

The pictures you've all been waiting for

What a good big brother!

The little girl's room

Pretty girl

With Daddy and Mommy