Post 6: New Truck, Chopped Off Finger, Rustlers and TV

In 1947, we bought a brand new, one ton cattle truck. Sometimes we all loaded into the cab and went to Danville, although we were a little crowded. Once, when Dad took a curve a little too fast in Danville, the right side door swung open. Barbara, pressed against it, rode it all the way out, all the way back in! Coming back home was very scary if the dirt road was wet. I remember one time during a very muddy time, Dad had us get out at the foot of the mountain and push. When he got going, he spun as far up as he could. When it stopped, we ran along and put a chunk behind the back wheel. We pushed again, chunked it again, and repeated this until we got up the mountain. That road is paved now and not nearly as much fun – or as scary!

Uncle Arthur was always there when we needed him. On a very cold day, Dad chopped a finger off chopping stove wood. It was barely hanging on by a little skin. Dad jumped in the truck and drove to Uncle Arthur's house, and he sewed it back on. We were all surprised when it grew back. Once, we were about to have a big family dinner. I knew we would have fried chicken, pies, and all the other goodies Mom could cook at that dinner. Barbara had the measles, and Uncle Arthur came over. The big dinner was only a day or two away, and I didn't want to miss that, so I hid from him. Finally, when I came out, Uncle Arthur was still waiting for me. He took one look in my mouth, and declared that I was coming down with the measles. I was banished to bed with Barbara, and I lay there with my mouth watering while everyone else feasted. I never did get the measles. After thinking this over many times, I now believe Uncle Arthur may have fudged on me. Knowing I had been around Barbara, who had the measles, he may have decided to quarantine me, just in case, so that I could not possibly pass measles around the dinner table with the food, and only looked in my mouth to pacify me. Could that be?
Once a rustler stole some of Uncle Arthur's cattle. The rustlers were arrested, and I went with Dad to the jail. I remember when one of the rustlers was introduced to Dad, I expected Dad to kill him. Instead, they shook hands. I never did understand the ways of grownups!
Uncle Arthur's death brought about my first funeral. When we came in, I noticed two signs in the church. One side for friends, one side said “relatives.” I could not understand why we sat on the relative side. I assumed that “relative” must mean “enemies.”
When I went to town, I always did all I could do to avoid people. I would cross the street to avoid meeting someone on the sidewalk. Once, however, I saw a crowd, very large, gathered around a store window. I just had to see what they were looking at. When I finally worked my way up to the front of the group, I saw a box with fuzzy, squiggly lines moving around on it. Every now and then I could see a figure of a person on it! Some of the other people called it a television. Will wonders never cease!