Roger Johnson : The Turtle Man

Have you ever had a sign from the universe? Did the universe give you a small stone turtle signifying that you, are in fact, a good person? Did the man who gave you the small stone turtle remind you of a happy little turtle himself? Because if so-, wow, we already have a lot in common. That’s uncanny. Maybe like me, you have also never felt like a good person.

This guy, Roger Johnson stopped me on the street during my lunch break, handed me a small stone turtle and told me I’m a good person. And I had never felt so incredibly weirded out and honored at the same time. Who just makes turtles for good people in their spare time?? This guy, obviously. but not many people would ever do what he has done for a mediocre person like me.

I felt so strange during this small exchange. It wasn’t that he was giving me a turtle, or that he was an old man giving me a turtle made out of “locally sourced beach stones” (which means he totally stole them.) and it wasn’t even the fact that there was a literal cameraman recording the entire interaction that made me feel so singular in that moment. I just couldn’t stop asking myself, “why?”

how did I end up getting here? Why did I deserve this guys super cute good person turtle? If I had taken my lunch 10 minutes earlier wouldn’t someone else have gotten this turtle? I didn’t know why I kept asking myself why but I did know this: that turtle is a solid 5 pounds and it did not fit in any of my pockets. I was literally forced to weigh the question of why I was a good person in my hands. All I wanted was a sandwich, and not only did I get this turtle, I had people sending me links to a news story about , ROGER JOHNSON GIVING ME, A SMALL ,STONE, SUPER CUTE ,GOOD-PERSON TURTLE. I got my sandwich, I got on the evening news, and recieved a powerful relic. I’ll leave a link if I can but you can absolutely Google, Roger Johnson Gig Harbor , WA and find a news story about this . I am the girl in the pink coat. I didn’t know why I ended up getting this turtle but I do know that it made me feel very existential.

After watching how amazing I looked over a thousand times I think I realized that I don’t need confirmation that I’m a good person, but I did need the reminder that maybe I’m not the worst person who ever existed. And maybe now whenever I look at the stone turtle among my decorations I feel a little bit more calm about my place in the world. I don’t have to wonder anymore if I’m a good person because I can make sure that I am. So It’s not about what the world throws your way, wether a stone turtle is a good omen or an existential crisis is up to you.

I hope Rogers Good deed makes you feel a little bit better about your place in the world, maybe you also feel inspired to steal some rocks from a beach and make some other random animal totem. I really like my turtle don’t get me wrong, but I would like a dragon next I think.

Go out there and give your version of a good person turtle to the world. Be the light you want to see in the dark, as hard as it can be. Even though there are challenges in life that make you question yourself, here’s your reminder that you are not in fact, the worst person in the world.