Simple Joe

It's the turn of the century, and Colorado was bustling with gold miners seeking their fortune, but to Josiah and Judith Clemons, God and family were the most important things in their lives. They had two sons, Jacob and Joseph who were two years apart. Joseph was a Mongoloid, and everyone they knew, to include the doctor told them the boy would die before he was two. To save themselves the heartache of losing the boy later, it was best to put him in an institution and go on with their lives. To escape the threat of having their Mongoloid (Down syndrome) boy removed from their home, the young couple moved to the Colorado Rockies and made their living off the land. Josiah trapped animals and killed deer, elk, antelope, and mountain sheep for food, and he sold the hides in town. In spite of the claims by the doctor and others, young Joseph thrived in the mountains. This short story is partly from the perspective of that boy as he grew up and outlived every member of his family. Joe was a simple boy and a simple man. He loved his family deeply, and he loved God even more. As he tries to remember his life and family, he takes the reader inside his head, his heart, and his life. Joe's memories and his story will make the reader laugh, cry, and fall in love with him.