Turning Points
Life is a journey. It has a beginning and it has an end. All along its path are events, places
and people who are turning points. Here, I relate some of these turning points in my own
journey. Hopefully, the stories will illuminate and maybe entertain some of those who care
enough to read.
Life is a journey. It has a beginning and it has an end. All along its path are events, places
and people who are turning points. Here, I relate some of these turning points in my own
journey. Hopefully, the stories will illuminate and maybe entertain some of those who care
enough to read.
| Smart Mouth February 24, 2006 |
St Catherine’s parish in New Haven, Kentucky ran a fundraising
summer picnic each year, not unlike many others of the 1950’s.
Now, this was called a picnic but was much more akin to a carnival.
A ferris wheel presided over many other motorized rides that have
come to be a common sight in small town carnivals. There were
many booths with spinning wheels, cotton candy, popcorn and soft
summer picnic each year, not unlike many others of the 1950’s.
Now, this was called a picnic but was much more akin to a carnival.
A ferris wheel presided over many other motorized rides that have
come to be a common sight in small town carnivals. There were
many booths with spinning wheels, cotton candy, popcorn and soft
drinks and there were long tubs of bottled beer in ice.
I’m sure the picnic helped finance the new high school that was to be built later with the labor of
many of the kids in town. I was among the many 12-13 year old kids who dug the foundation
with picks and shovels for 15 cents an hour. Only later did I wonder whether back hoes had
been invented back then. Back to the picnic.
In that day the main entertainment was the single television set in town at Howard’s Store on
Main Street where we all watched Howdy Doody and Captain Video in black and white every
afternoon. So the attractions at the picnic really captured our attention. All the kids were there
and parents didn’t have to worry about child molesters or kidnappers then, especially with Ned
Bell Johnson on duty.
As several of us traipsed through the area gawking at all the sights we found ourselves walking
behind several older boys who had obviously been at the beer tubs. My smart aleck mouth was
running as usual and was loud enough that a wisecrack about the boys in front was heard by
one of them.
Before I could figure out what happened, he was on me, swinging lefts and rights at my chin
and making a lot of connections. And it was over in a few seconds with me wondering what had
hit me. One of my brothers ran home to tell Mom and Dad. Hugh Louis dropped everything and
headed to the picnic grounds for a bout of revenge. But the drunk boys had moved on and we
were all left with me a bit the wiser about smarting off.
Don’t do it quite so loud, next time.
I’m sure the picnic helped finance the new high school that was to be built later with the labor of
many of the kids in town. I was among the many 12-13 year old kids who dug the foundation
with picks and shovels for 15 cents an hour. Only later did I wonder whether back hoes had
been invented back then. Back to the picnic.
In that day the main entertainment was the single television set in town at Howard’s Store on
Main Street where we all watched Howdy Doody and Captain Video in black and white every
afternoon. So the attractions at the picnic really captured our attention. All the kids were there
and parents didn’t have to worry about child molesters or kidnappers then, especially with Ned
Bell Johnson on duty.
As several of us traipsed through the area gawking at all the sights we found ourselves walking
behind several older boys who had obviously been at the beer tubs. My smart aleck mouth was
running as usual and was loud enough that a wisecrack about the boys in front was heard by
one of them.
Before I could figure out what happened, he was on me, swinging lefts and rights at my chin
and making a lot of connections. And it was over in a few seconds with me wondering what had
hit me. One of my brothers ran home to tell Mom and Dad. Hugh Louis dropped everything and
headed to the picnic grounds for a bout of revenge. But the drunk boys had moved on and we
were all left with me a bit the wiser about smarting off.
Don’t do it quite so loud, next time.
___________________________________________________
| And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 KJV) |
| Copyright © 2005 leoshoemaker.com |
leoshoemaker.com
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Albums, commentary, inspiration and information
| How I found a new life by Leo Shoemaker |
