My Dad

My dad, who everyone knew as "Blue," and hardly anyone knew as Howard, could cure warts. (Now, that's a great opening sentence for a book!)
People came from all over to have him cure their warts. Young and old. People who had their warts cured in the past would bring their children to be cured. Folks swore by him.
He told me that when I got older, he would tell me the secret. His father had passed it down to him and he was going to pass it down to me. But, he died when I was 14.
My mom said that all she ever saw him do was rub the wart while he quietly spoke to the person. She wasn't supposed to see any of this. He would always take the patient behind the house or somewhere where they could be alone and he could work his mojo.
I always thought that if it wasn't for real - if it was just a bunch of bull - that he would've said that he could cure something more glamorous than warts. I looked forward to the day that I would obtain this secret knowledge, but it was not to be.
I never got that goat he was always promising me, either.

My dad had a saying: "I would jump in the fire for you."
I knew in my heart that he would.