The Cushmaker

On Johnny's first day of school, Ms. Patrick assigned the kids to start learning their ABCs. Johnny calmly refused to participate. The teacher let it go for a bit, but then had to take him aside.
"You're going to have to do the work like everyone else, Johnny."

"Nope."

"Well how are you going to learn to read and write? You need to learn these things to get a job someday."

"Don't need it," He replied "I'll be a cushmaker when I grow up."

Ms. Patrick didn't want to admit to a 4 year old that she didn't know what a cushmaker was, so she sent him to the principal's office. He gave Johnny a good talking to, but Johnny was adamant.
"I don't need to learn this, I'll be a cushmaker when I grow up. Just like my daddy, and his daddy before him."
The principal decided to let this go, being his first day and all and also not wanting to admit he didn't know what a cushmaker was.

Johnny was pushed along through elementary school and middle school the same way. Every so often, a teacher or administrator tried to reach him, but he was going to be a cushmaker when he grew up.
When he reached high school, one of his teachers couldn't believe he was so far behind.

"Johnny! What is wrong with you?! You'll never amount to anything if you don't have an education!"

"Don't need it, I'll be a cushmaker. Just like my daddy and his daddy before him. I'll be a 6th generation cushmaker."

The teacher had enough and decided to get in touch with his friend who was a US Navy recruiter. Johnny went in to see the recruiter and he asked about Johnny's goals.

"I'm going to be a cushmaker very soon."

"The Navy can give you the skills you need to be an excellent cushmaker one day." The recruiter said. He had no clue what a cushmaker was but he was behind on his quota and was ready to make a deal. Johnny liked this idea and enlisted.

On Johnny's first day, the chief ordered the new recruits to clean the bunks, Johnny refused. The chief wanted to make an example of Johnny and chewed him out good.

"You think you're special son?!"

"I'm here to get better at cushmaking, this won't help my abilities!"

He got reported to the superior officers, but for awhile Johnny had enough charisma to slide by. He didn't do much work, and everyone who confronted him got the same response. One day an Admiral was touring the ship and noticed one bunk untidy and started to question the Captain about it. The Captain explained about the struggles they were having with Johnny. The Admiral was shocked to find them not being able to keep one man in line and summoned Johnny. The Admiral chewed him out and Johnny remained steadfast in his resolve.
"I'm just wanting to be a cushmaker, they said the Navy will help me. I'm from a proud line of cushmakers and my children will be too."

The Admiral didn't know what a cushmaker was, but was intrigued by his spirit. "Son, when will you be ready to be a cushmaker?"

"I can start right now, sir."

"Well, if you're going to cushmake, you'll do it for the US Navy, and on the taxpayer's dime. Now what do you need?"

"First, I'll need a ship with a deep hull, so I can have a full workshop."

"Can't be on land?"

"No sir, has to be on a boat. I'll also need 3,000 sheets of 3/4" plywood, 200 gallons of rubber cement, and 500 buckets of spackle."

"Done, what else do you need?"

"Well sir, I'll need men under my command to move the lumber and mix the chemicals."

"I'll assign you 200 men."

"Thank you sir, I'll get to work right away."

Johnny and his team get to work and news of this spreads through out the fleet. The news media starts to learn of it and even the president is intrigued. After a few days, Johnny sends out everyone from the ship and tells the Admiral he will be done in one week. The anticipation builds and everyone comes to the harbor for the big revealing.

Johnny comes out all sweaty and exhausted, he tells the Admiral it's ready. He needs a crane to lift it out of the hull. A crane is brought over and the hook is lowered into the hull. Out comes a perfect white cube. Johnny orders the cube to be lifted and released into the ocean.

*cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuusssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh*