TLC logo TLC #32:  December 23, 2001



 
Season's Greetings to all you Dear Hearts and Gentle People who live or lived in my hometown! I wish you all a blessed Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year!
 
Several of our "family" have responded to TLC #31, so here goes:
 
From Barbara Tabb Jarman:
 
Thanks so much for another great issue of TLC.  I'm not surprised at all the comments about Mose Butler.  I can remember when Mose was all we needed in the way of  'law enforcement'.  I don't think he got called on much to pursue criminals, but every kid in town seemed to know that Mose was there to help us in whatever way he could. We did have to call him once on a serious matter, when a rabid dog was loose in the neighborhood, and he had to come down and shoot it.  It certainly left its impression on me.  I didn't actually see him do it, because I was already in the house getting a Clorox bath per our doctor's advice. But, Mose was down there pronto, and handled the situation.  Later tests confirmed that the dog was indeed rabid.
 
I was very small at the time, and we were all out in the backyard down on 7th Street, and Dad suddenly yelled at us to get up on something quick - "that's a mad dog."  I'd never heard of a mad dog, but supposed that he meant angry.  The dog was running hard across the Hackley's yard from Franklin Ave., and was dripping wet and foaming at the mouth. Wayne jumped up on a bench by the house, but I was in the middle of the yard, and just froze as that dog came straight at me.  I felt its feet thud on my chest, and was staring into its wide-open slobbery mouth when Dad kicked it away with everything he had, snatched me up, and sent me into
the house. I hadn't known my Dad could move so fast, but he sure saved me. Then, he yelled across the street to tell the Rockholds to get inside and he'd call Mose, which he did. Mr. Rockhold picked up a long 2x4 board, and covered the kids' hasty retreat into the house; then, he and Dad kept an eye on the dog until Mose could get there. I'll bet it was one of the very few times Mose ever fired that gun, but we were all glad he had it and was such a good shot. Luckily, no one was bitten by the dog, and I had no broken skin anywhere, so I was spared the painful series of  rabies shots.

Wouldn't it be nice if conditions were such that Mose were still all that was needed to keep the peace?  I thought fondly of Mose when Wayne and I drove to Lexington for the big reunion of 2000, but it was because of the sharp contrast in law enforcement methods then and now. I don't know what it was that made us look like such a threat to society, but we had been on the road all day from Houston, and were just turning the corner to go into Mom's driveway on Highland when we got stopped by the police.  Maybe it was my Texas license plates??? 
 
 Wayne was driving, and as he put on the turn signal, the sheriff's car (which had followed us from 13th & Main) started flashing to pull us over.  Wayne went ahead and pulled into Mom's driveway, and by the time we got out of the car, there were 4 - count them, 4 - squad cars there with lights flashing. Three were behind us, and the last one to arrive pulled across the street to block any 'escape' by these two old desperadoes.  They must have been on their radios the whole time we were driving slowly through town, looking at the changes. I guarantee that we had broken no traffic laws, and we couldn't believe what was happening to us. I'll admit that I also thought about Barney Fife at the time - it was certainly overkill.  Even when it was so obvious that we were there for a legitimate reason, they phoned in my license number while they put Wayne through the usual routine for DUI.  I'm afraid I was laughing even before it was over with; but, I did honestly think about Mose Butler,
and how times had changed.  I think Mose could have handled us all by himself.  :-)  What think ye?

But, maybe it was justice, after all - Wayne had laughed at me for getting a speeding ticket that day, my first one ever. I always did get the last laugh. Well - almost always.

I don't recall eating at Maib's but once or twice. We always had Sunday dinner at home after church, and I can remember the smell of fried chicken - not like chickens from the store, but fresh ones that had an entirely different taste.  My grandmother raised chickens, and we would go out in the country and 'dress' several at once. My job was to catch them, and then to pluck feathers on down the line. If Mary Pat Gueguen Miller thinks it was memorable to see her grandfather hatchet off the turkey's head, she should have seen my grandmother wring those
chickens' necks!  I don't think I could handle watching such things today, but thought nothing of it back then.  A headless chicken flops around pretty good, too - for a little while.

Ditto to all of Duncan Lee's comments about Ernestine Seiter - and, Miss Lena was an institution in herself.  Throw Fern Cullom and Miss Gruber into the mix, and it's small wonder that everyone writes so well.  We did get a thorough grounding in the language, thanks to the quality of the teaching.

I do tend to 'ramble' - so, I'll end this one with my very best wishes for a wonderful Holiday Season for everyone.
 
Mary Pat Gueguen Miller:
 
If you print feedback on TLC #31, I submit the following:  Barbara Tabb, yes, we learned a lot in Lexington that has lasted a lifetime.  We are lucky people!  Duncan Lee, I remember you from my sister's class, Loretta, and love hearing about your worldly escapades and first-hand knowledge of such things as international airports, scares, time delays, etc.  Liz Anne White, I LAUGHED my head off, as I know all my sisters did, in relaying your experience at Gordon Reed's store.  Loretta and I worked at Mattingly's dime store a few Easter seasons filling those cute little Saran Wrapped decorated Easter baskets with candy.  (We actually thought they CAME that way to the store.)  Anyway, we made up those baskets and had a ball eating all the candy, and laughing about it all these years later. 
 
I had a lot of experience working at what we called "greasy spoons", and one year at Joe's Cafe, about six in the morning, I was asked to fix a "basted egg."  I said, You want a WHAT!"  Dear Mr. Joe Bookasta showed me, right in front of the customer, how to baste an egg.  Just slop all that grease on 'em.  Susan, about your anthrax scare:  One year when I had very small children and probably a baby, I called a gas man out in the dead of winter  because I smelled something funny.  He checked the entire house, found nothing, and finally said, "It wouldn't be that diaper pail, would it??"  I remembered thinking, "You IDIOT!!"  Anyway, we had a cracked heat exchanger and had to go to my Mother's for a few days so we could have a new furnace installed. Moral of the story:  never suspect a diaper pail, and trust your nose!!  As you can tell, I REALLY enjoyed TLC 31.  Susan, you are a major GIFT. 
 
Mary Kay Wilcoxon Gooseman:
 
Susan, thanks again for a most memorable TLC.  All of the articles certainly have brought back memories for me as well.  I too want to wish each and everyone a very Merry and Blessed Christmas as well as a wonderful New Year.  Surely 2002 will be better than this one has been for all of us.  Please keep our men and women in uniform in your prayers for a safe return home.
 
You mentioned the "house moving" expedition on Friday November 30th.  Yes, it was totally exciting for me, as I had never seen a building moved.  With camera in hand, I was there at 7a.m. in mid-30 degree weather for things to start happening. (At least it wasn't snowing!)  I was amazed at all the 'behind the scenes' so to speak, preparations being made for that journey.  Our utility people were there busy leaning utility poles, cutting tree limbs out of the way, either dropping some lines or raising them to allow the house to make its journey up Tenth St. to Main.  The police dept. had earlier blocked off Franklin St. from 9th to 12th and all side streets leading into it as well as the side streets from Main to Franklin, not allowing anyone to park on these streets.  Promptly a few minutes after 7:00 the procession began.  Creeping up N. 10th St. very slowly.  Can anyone imagine, being on your way to work at 8:00 a.m. not fully awake, and suddenly seeing a large 'house' in the middle of the intersection at 10th & Main??  That would certainly wake you up, OR...sober you up!! LOL 
 
From Main St. on to 12th & Franklin, things moved much faster with the streets being much wider and easier turning at corners.  By 9:15, the house was at 12th and Franklin ready to be placed on the new site.  It would be a while before that was accomplished, and I had to leave.  I returned at 1 p.m., and it was on the site, but they still had to set it up on blocks allowing them to pour a concrete foundation under it.  Yes, it was truly exciting to say the least, as well as mind boggling with what ease this moving company accomplished its mission.  I might add, there was quite a congregation that had gathered in front of "the Coen Brothers" business at 12th and Franklin, including our scribe's husband...don't know where our scribe was that morning!  Don Coen even had the coffee pot going!  I documented the move the entire route and the pictures have turned out wonderful.  If anyone would like, I can email pictures to them.   My email address:  gsengndr@iland.net
 
It's so good to be in touch with so many LHS grads once again.  Keep up the good work.
 
Barbara Lee Fay and several others wrote about seeing our old music prof Carroll Lewis in the K.C. Star. One reported:
 
It seems a bunch of Raytown South high school singers went caroling at the homes of people named "Carol" recently, and happened on Carroll Lewis and wife, Ellie.  He was thrilled.  Of course he reminded them that he STARTED Raytown South, being their first music director.  "Lewis loved caroling.  He went as a boy "with any girl who would go with me."  He also "went once with a 100-girl glee club while teaching in Lexington, MO."  They were to sing "The Twelve Days of Christmas" on the courthouse lawn.  The only problem?  The wind blew the music away.  How
many lords a-leaping was that again?  "Oh, it was a disaster!  I don't know how
we got through it," he said. Before they left, the kids sang one final tune: their school song.  At the opening strains, Lewis gave a cackle of recognition. After all, who had written that song decades ago, but he and his wife, Ellie!!  At the end, it said, "Lewis stood in his yard, waving.  He couldn't wipe the smile off his face." It also had a picture accompanying the article and he's as cute as ever.
 
The anonymous writer continued "it seems to me like I vaguely remember something about that glee club fiasco when people like Joyce Gueguen, Barbara Tabb and Carol Jo Rank were in it.  It would have had to be the Christmas of '54 or '55.  Anyone remember???
 
Usually I refrain from adding too many personal memories but, for the sake of the Girls Glee Club members reading, Carroll Lewis used to blow kisses at us when he had his back to the audience, directing us. That was the secret of our smiling while we sang. -  Ed.
 
Mary Pat Gueguen Miller also was mentioned in the Star recently. When I inquired, she responded:
 
I guess you are speaking about the "Cuddles and Tuckie" article in the Sunday
Star, FYI, Sunday, Dec. 9th.  Apparently, the writer got my name from some OLD letters on file at UMKC, that I had written to the author, Francis Royster Williams, WAY back in 1982.  She just wanted feedback from OLD people like me who remembered listening to it in the late 40's.  Anyway, if you can pull it up, you can read it for yourself.  I have since gone to UMKC and purchased a set of the audio tapes to send to my sister, Loretta, since we were SO crazy about listening to it as kids. 
 
And so we come to the end of Issue 32. Let's hear a little more about "Cuddles and Tuckie," Maib's, Mose Butler and the rest in 2002. We also have more new shops open, plus Captain Jack's Restaurant. For those of you near enough, come see how wonderful the old hometown looks, decorated for Christmas, and every single storefront in use.

Your devoted scribe,
 
Susan

P.S. Mary Kay W. G. describes 7 a.m. and 30 degree weather and then she wonders why I wasn't there for the house moving? I sent my stringer and stayed in bed! 
 


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