oh... my.

This is my Dad....

and my Beloved Best friend...

Dolsey.

I rescued her once...

She... rescued me... forever...after.

I...was about 16...when I captured this image...of them...

: )

The Old Chevy...Truck..... behind them....
 was my 'Chariot'... 

Junk Hauler...

{Scrap Iron}

back in the day. 

: )

The Rings...were shot.... 

It Belched Smoke... on demand....

: )

Big Smoke... 

{Got pulled over.... one time.... and the Cop said...

 "Get this Thing Fixed.... or I'm gonna Cite ya.... next time... for 'Pollution'!!!" 

: ) 

but.....

Very handy.... when a couple of...awful Boys... were tailgating me...and Dolsey........

honking their Ridiculous little horn.....

in their Shiny MG Convertible...

{top... down... : ) }

: ) 

They got stuck...in the Fog.... for half a mile..... ; ) after I floored it.... 

{knowing the Fog.... it would Blast out the tailpipe... : ) }

I carried a two gallon jug of oil.... with....at all...times.

When the Lifters...started tappin'.... I'd dump a little oil in....

and he'd be good.... 

'quiet'...

for a while.

: )

Some 'Yahoo'.... had changed the Factory.... 'three in the tree'.... shifter....

to an 'after market'....shifter... on the floor.

The linkage.... was a Mess....

It would Bind Up.... at the Most... Inopportune...Places... and Times.

{When it was Raining... 10 Below Zero...or the Snow was Deep.... }

I don't know how many times... I had to crawl under it... and get it back in sync...

with the big...old screwdriver.... I always carried under the seat.....

just to keep on going.

Too.... many.

Dad came home...with a newer...Ford Truck...one day....

 and I upgraded.

: )

He sold the Old White Chevy.... to some Boys... from near Anamosa, Iowa.

I wasn't happy about the Sale.

The Old Chevy had it's problems... but... it had a Strong.... 292... engine...

{just needed a new set of rings... }

and... always got the Job...Done.

: )

The worst part...was....

Dad... sold the Old Chevy... 'on time'...

 : ) 

 to these 'Boys'.

I raised.... an eyebrow..... 

oh my.

I didn't know 'em.....

I'd heard of them.... around....

and.... really.... didn't trust 'em.

They lived... back in the Hills.... I was told.......

not.... easy to find....

and....

 had a reputation.... of being...pretty   tuff....dudes.

Dad... Trusted....Everyone.

He...was a very... kind...Man.

{that some folks.... would tend to take advantage of. }

Dad... assured me....

 "You...still have the Title....: )

and... you can't go by what others say.... I...think these Boys...will pay...: )"

well....

They didn't...

: )

Months... went by.

We heard through the Grapevine......

they had wrecked the Old Chevy....

and...simply.... refused to pay.

oh...my.

Dad was renting The Ford Car Hauler.... from John....

so I could haul Car Bodies.... to the Scrap Yard.

It was a Jewel....

John built it....

It had a 18 foot Flatbed....

with a hydraulic winch and hoist....'tilt bed'.

: )

{I'm not sure, I had met John yet... I...was 16.}

I was so.... unhappy.... about this 'Deal'... and how these Boys... had taken advantage... of Dad...

Finally... I'd had enough... I was going to find the Old Chevy..... and bring him Home.

or...

the Cash.

Dad sold it to them... for 650.00

they owed 500.00

We... were Broke.

Dad.... asked me... to 'let it go'....

It...wasn't worth.... the trouble....that might transpire.

uh...

That wasn't gonna happen.

It couldn't...

we...

 Needed that money. 

I didn't know how bad the Old Chevy was wrecked... but... the engine... was kind of rare.

I was offered 400.00 for the engine.... if I could get it to the buyer.

I grabbed the title...bailed in... the Hauler.... 

and headed for the Jones County Sheriffs Department... 

{Anamosa} 

I...thought.... surely.... they would go with me.

I told them the story... had the Title... in hand......

{I hate to admit it....but...the reputation... of those Boys... had me a bit... on edge.}

They wanted nothing to do... with those Boys....at the Sheriff's Office.

but...kindly....

gave me directions... back in the Hills..... to where they lived.

: )

oh my.

: )

The Hauler and I.... took the winding....hilly.... muddy.... back roads....very....slowly.

As we were coming down a hill....

I saw the Old Chevy.... sitting.... next to the ditch....off to the left.....

in front of an old.... forlorn....

Farmhouse....

with a falling down...

 decrepit.... Porch.... attached...

On the porch...

sat three...old rocking chairs.....

on the rocking chairs...

sat three men....

that looked like...

 they had come straight out of the movie....

'Deliverance'.

{Sporting....Scruffy Beards.... and Bib Overalls....}

I parked the Ford Hauler....

on the left side of the mud road....

just... past the Old Chevy.

Put the brake on.....

engaged.... the power take off.....

got out....

and began... letting out... the winch's cable.....

It seemed like Miles...of cable.

 I had to have enough.... to get through the ditch.....

and wrap around the Old Chevy's front axle.....

so I could drag it... onto the road..... 

{The nose... of the Old Chevy... was smashed....

 so...

 I knew, I couldn't hurt it... anymore, than it was.

I didn't want to go further on to their property.... so didn't even take the Old Chevy... out of gear....}

It seemed to take forever.

I never looked the men....in their eyes....yet... I knew.... exactly where they were.

{they... never stopped 'rockin'...

I swear.... I heard Banjo.....pickin'.....}

I just kept pulling on that cable.

Then.... I quickly....quickly....

dashed up through the ditch....

wrapped and hooked the cable....

and...slowly... 'trotted'.... back.....to the waiting Ford....

and began.... winching the Old Chevy....dragging it.... through the muddy ditch....

 and on to the road.

I got it straightened around.... raised the Massive bed....

and pulled the Old Chevy.... up.... and got 'im loaded.

Threw a couple binders on....

{just a couple.... : ) 

Just...enough.... to get me down the road....

 I put more on.... when I was on 'higher ground'.... ; )...... } 

Those Boys... never quit 'rockin'....

They... never spoke a word.

Neither did I....

but...

I was Movin'.... Briskly.

I...wouldn't say.... I was 'afraid'.....

but....

I wasn't going to waste....any time.

: )

Dad...was right....

You can't 'Judge' folks....

by what others... say.

To this day....

I can't say a bad word....

about those Boys.

After all.... they didn't do a thing... to me...

except...

not pay....for an Old Truck. 

{that we came out.... Good...on......in the end...with. }

: )

I got to thinking about Dad... and our 'Journey'... tonight....

as...Peg... just lost her Dad....

This story... came to mind.... for me.

I'm sure.... Peg.... could share some.... Interesting stories....

as well.... : )

I'm going to his... Funeral... in the Morning.

Our 'Dads'.... have Provided Us....with..... some Amazing Stories.

We... are.... Blessed.

: )

May The Good Lord....

Bless Them !!!

: ) : ) : ) 

Love to ya...

Barb C. 

{I'm Sure... our Dads... and John.... are having some... Interesting... Conversations.... in Heaven.

about their....

'Girls'.... }

{oh.... dear. }

: )
{This story...may sound like.... it's more about my 'journey'... than Dad's.
: )
not so....much.
If it hadn't been for the way... Dad raised me....
 Trusted me....
Allowed me... to put the bit... in my teeth....and run....
sometimes.... stumble...fall...and skin my knees....
I wouldn't be... who I am.
John... was the same way. : ) <3
I will Forever... feel Blessed and Grateful...
for Them..... sharing my Life... with me.
{I...can't imagine... 'living' my life.... with people....
who held the reins... back. }


I went to Gerald's Funeral.... today.
: )
It was Lovely.
I enjoyed... hearing all of the stories..... seeing Peg.... and her Beautiful.....
Beautiful....
Family.
{ We Do....Love them....So. <3 }
Sounds like... Peg didn't fall far from the Tree. : )
oh my....
They all... Know How to Live. : )
Love to ya...
Barb C. }