An Appalachian Odyssey
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"Stick up for yourself" After we had a big bunch of cherries, Mom was ready to make jelly so she would send me to the store to get some Sure-Jell to thicken it. I would get on my very old bike with no fenders and ride all the way to Kieffer to get the supplies for Mom. During one of my trips, three guys who I didn't know, came up to me and knocked me off my bike. It was a tough fall and I got a rough bump on my head. I was still able to get the Sure-Jell for my mom and bring it back home but when I arrived back home my grandpa saw the bump and probably some scrapes. He asked me what had happened to me on my little trip to the store. When I told him the story of the three boys knocking me off my bike he immediately took me to the woodshed and cut two pieces of rubber from an inner tube. Then he took his saw and cut a natural fork from a tree behind our house. He sat me down and explained to me that I must fight back against these boys or the same thing would happen every time they had a chance to get me by myself. With the two strips of rubber and the forked stick, Grandpa made me a super strong gravel shooter. He told me, “Now if those boys bother you again, take out a few marbles and let them have it with this gravel shooter.” About one week later I was heading back to the store in Kieffer to pick up some baking soda for my mom to use in cooking some more biscuits or pie. The same three guys were there waiting again and they were all set to whack me. When I got closer I pulled the gravel shooter out of my back pocket and carefully inserted a nice marble. When the first guy came within about six feet of me, I cut loose with a shot and my well aimed marble hit him directly on his forehead. He dropped right there in his tracks. The other two guys saw that I was armed and ready for another shot. They left their friend behind and took off running. I went on to the store and got all of what my mom had sent me for. As I was leaving Kieffer I was ready if they wanted to try something with me again; but as I rode my bike back home they were all gone and they never bothered me again. Thanks grandpa; you taught me to always stick up for myself
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About the Book
This book is a tribute to my parents who instilled in me a strong will to succeed. The emphasis was on hard work and honesty. There was little money available but that made little difference to the boys in Keiffer Holler. Most of the time we were busy working and our leisure time was spent in the beautiful mountains and fishing. Until I was a junior in high school I thought a log cabin in the rural hills of Greenbrier County, a job in a union mine and a four wheel drive vehicle would mean the perfect life. vehicle would mean the perfect life. My story deals with the many twists and turns of leaving the mountains of Appalachia. Some are sad and some are hilarious. The cultural differences I encountered could be compared to Homers’ account of the Greek, Odysseus. My experiences could never measure up to the Cyclops but there were many challenges along the way. The strong values I gained during my formative years in Appalachia were a major factor guiding me to success throughout my first 76 years of life.