FROM: GORDON

The house where we lived on First Street from about 1933 on was about 100 yards from the railroad tracks. Between the house and the RR, Daddy had a small pasture where he kept a cow, chickens and some hogs. When I was about 6 or 7 years old the cow had a calf and at this time the calf was about 6 months old.

One afternoon three or four of us were in the pasture and they conned me into trying to ride the calf. Being young and trusting, I agreed. They held the calf as I got on then turned him lose. D___n, to me that was as bad as a cowboy trying to ride a wild bull. The calf took off running and bucking. I stayed with him for about 50 feet then fell of and landed on my butt.

Nothing was injured but my pride. But to make it even worse, the others were laughing and whooping it up. But the thing I really hated most was breaking my comb that was in my back pocket. (I had hair then). That was the extent of my "cowboying" until I tried to ride a bucking pony at a carnival that came through town a few years later. Same result.


 

 

WHEN THE CIRCUS WINTERED IN EDISON

Sometime when I was around 12 or 13 years old, there came to Edison a two bit circus which wintered there. It was to be located on the old gin yard and behing the mule barn about half way between the station and our house.

That was the interest of the town and when they arrived many in the town came out to watch the circus unload. Of course, I was as curious as anyone so I was there in the front ranks of the towns people.

There were trucks, wagons, mules, monkeys, lions and of course, an elephant. The elephant arrived in a enclosed trailer and was being unloaded by a side door. The handler was having a hard time unloading him so we all gathered closer to watch. Finally, when the handler poked the elephant with the sharp hooked pole they use, The elephant gave a loud squell and jumped out of the trailer.

There I was, not ten feet away. My heart rate immediately increased to provide increased oxygen to the blood, the adrenalin glands started pumping to provide an extra burst of energy, my eyes dialated for better sight so that I would not run into anything as I left and I immediately vacated the area.

When I was about 50 yard across the gin yard, I stopped and looked back, all I saw was a calm elephant and everyone else laughing. It was kinda embarassing but, as they say, discretion is the better part of valor.

I've always heard that when the adrenalin starts to flow you will be in a "fight or flight" mode. At that particular time, I immediately selected the "flight" mode.

The circus stayed in town for the winter. There were some rough looking people working there and Daddy didn't trust them. When one of them would come to Daddy's station for cokes, etc., he would watch them very closely. Always particular about getting the deposit on the bottles because they would never bring one back. Daddy did a good business with them with cokes, cigarettes, gas, etc.

But when spring came we were glad to see them leave.