Written in the summer of 1999 for Professor Helen Adsit's english class
by Jerry "Clapso" Avissato
One word I use to describe myself is Digger. The Random House Dictionary gives the definition of digger as the noun form of the verb dig. It gives thirteen definitions of the word dig. The two definitions of dig I like best are "to understand or appreciate" and, "A cutting sarcastic remark." I think both describe me to some extent but I have a different take on the word digger in mind.
In the twelfth century a group of poor farmers in England were tired of working long hard hours for the king and lords. They packed up their families and meager belongings and set out to find a place for themselves. They found a really terrible piece of land that no one wanted because it was poor for farming. They set about farming this land and managed to live better then they had under the king and lords. These people where called the Diggers. Upon hearing that the Diggers were actually making a living off this land the king and lords sent their armies to put an end to these radicals. Every man, woman and child were killed. Songs were sung and stories told about the diggers from then on. Billy Bragg recorded a version of a song about the diggers about ten years ago. Some of us have decided to continue in the Digger tradition to this day.
In 1970c I met a man called Emmet Grogan. I was living in Sunset Park, the neighborhood in Brooklyn where he and I grew up. He asked me if I ever played Ringalevio. I said that we did play that street version of capture the flag without a flag. He offered to pay us if we would play so he could watch. We played and, as with all the street games we played had a good time doing so. After the game was over Emmet offered a twenty dollar bill to each player. Everyone took their twenty with the exception of me.
"Why won't you take the money?" Emmet asked
"It's my gift to you." I replied
"What's your gift?" he asked
"Playing the game is my gift to you."
"Oh! You're a Digger!" Said Emmet with a smile.
"What's a Digger?" I asked.
"Diggers believe in the radical politics of free. If you read my book you'll understand."
I invited Emmet to dinner and he accepted. I won't go into the disaster that came when Emmet tried to explain the radical politics of free to my Longshoreman father. Emmet died of a heroin overdose about three weeks later. But Emmet and the Diggers live on. It wasn't until many years later that I finally read his book "Ringalevio." Upon reading the book I understood the radical politics of free. I also learned that I am a Digger and always will be. If you read the book you'll understand.
Read, Think, Speak, Write, Be!