Johnnie Johnson

6 Shades of Blindness is my first book and it is a bio of what it was like growing up as a sighted child that was toss into blindness, then into a cloudy world of 20/200 vision. I tell many stories about my mom and our rocky relationship and how she tried to instruct a strong-willed boy and how she save me from a boarding school where some of my blind friends were allegedly raped and mistreated. I was not able to find out our black history from my mom as I would have got an earful, so I eavesdrop on her phone calls and tried to peace her life story together and see how I as a Black child fitted in. My dad was a very quiet man, I also learn about him through what I overheard, or what others told me, nothing direct from him; I ones talked to my dad’s sisters who lived in Watts Ca, afterwards I wish I had took a recorder as they told me so much about their brother my dad I would have loved to put into my book!

I explore my relationships with my brothers and one sister and how they dealt with knowing me as a sighted person, then hating the fact that doctors could get away with almost killing me as I found out later only 30 percent of people that had Steven Johnson Syndrome lived to talk about it. I think about my brother Ben, who called me ugly as we were eating breakfast; that hurt me deeply as I looked up to him and knew he was very handsome and had no problem getting girls to go out with him! My brother Warren, who I love his stories and his deep thoughts about life and how I met ladies when I was older that knew Warren’s lifestyle that was somewhat close to mine. As for my brothers Dallas and Napoleon, Dallas as far as I knew never smile, but I did hear him laugh, so maybe because of my lack of sight, I am wrong as his wife and children knew another man; I once heard him say as I was over his house with his then girlfriend who became his wife, “he didn’t like the politic of James Brown.” I did not ask him “What do you mean?” later I found out James supported President Nixon and Mr. Brown was a Republican and we The Johnson, Christian and Cooke family, blindly were Democrats. I didn’t know as many Blacks, that Democrats in the south started the K.K.K., Jim Crow laws and reverse the reconstruction started by the Republicans in 1867 and most likely Dallas miss what Malcolm X said about the Democrats conservative factions of this party and how they hated Black people and tried to stop us from receiving our civil rights. Dallas did not live to see Democrat Biden who is running for president today and was and still a supporter of this rases party! Napoleon and I didn’t talk much as well as my cheek would twitch whenever I talk with him as I don’t know if it was out of anger, or nervousness I knew he had some hard times as a dark skin Black man and even today I wish I could talk to him about what he went through growing up. Now my oldest Brother Will Cookes, I like seeing him on TV, hearing his stories and in some way, I followed him in trying to rescue women from themselves.

My sister Verna and little brother Fred and I were very close and as we got older went to many movies, concerts and other events, but as we got into our 20’s we grew apart and I miss them and wish we could have continue.

My friends Wayne, Peter and Marlin came into my life at the right time and really help me through some hard times and some good times as well. As far as the girls and women that weave their way throughout my life, they help to teach me about who I was and how to build respect for women. I found my savor in music, radio and TV as I found away to view the world; as I grew up I learn what was on TV, specially the news was fake news and the movies could never tell the real life of Black people during the 60’s, 70’s through today, they are getting close, but still have work to film and tell people’s stories unbiasedly.

I have heard that you should write what you know, my life is what I know, blindness, living in America, music is another topic I know as well. You my readers will guide me into the next book.