Читать книгу Further Adventures of "Dirty Joe" Callihan - Joe Callihan - Страница 3

If you’ve read my first “Dirty Joe” book you may have said to yourself, this guy sounds like he’s seen one too many John Wayne movies. When relating these true stories from my life, sometimes I’ve wondered about that myself. I was and am a big fan of “The Duke.” I admired the kind of hero he portrayed in his movies, one of courage and character. Like many other fans, there were times when I wished I had been able to have met him and got to know him better, face to face.

But as Elvis Presley is famous for saying: “An image is one thing but the man himself can be totally different.” I used to have a friend who claimed to have known and paled around with John Wayne. He had been a Sergeant in Special Forces, and had served in Viet Nam. He claimed Wayne used to take him on fishing trips on his boat, and he also claimed to have attended some parties where Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra were present. I don’t know just how true this guy’s stories were – he’s the kind who likes to name drop. But over the years I’ve heard some of what I would consider unflattering things about John Wayne and his love for alcoholic beverages.

Were this true, I’m not so sure he and I would have hit it off. My mother having been an alcoholic for most of her adult life, I never found interest or the need for such drinks. I’ve done a good enough job of making a fool of myself at times, without needing the help of alcohol or drugs. From what I have heard, Wayne wanted you to be his “drinking” buddy. I would have told him clearly, “Forget it! That’s not for me!” But who knows, with God’s help, maybe I could have helped him get off that junk! With God’s help my mother did, even though late in her life. Toward the end of her life I finally got to know her better than I had all of the earlier years.

Well, the cat is out of the bag! At least now, as you read my true stories of adventure, both in the “Dirty Joe” books and Adventures In Navyland; you will know I never got my courage from a bottle or a drug. I was, and am my own man, who is not afraid to ask for God’s help, and acknowledge having received it.

Sometimes I feel my adventures were more associated with a boyhood image of manly justice whom I grew up on and admired: The Lone Ranger.

I most certainly would have enjoyed meeting Mr. Clayton Moore and Mr. Jay Silverheels. May God rest their souls!