Memories from Uncle Bob

Willis, Lloyd, Frances, Bob and Duane (I think) Harden.

A few years later, Bob, Duane and Ray Harden at what looks like a previous family reunion in the 70s. Sorry for the polyester!

Uncle Bob had memories to share in response to those by Ray and Dan. I wish Grandpa Duane was around to tell us what he was thinking when he built that ladder...

I don’t remember what year it was….maybe the 40s. In those days we bound feed stalks and then hauled them on an old flat bed truck. It took quite a crew of men to cut the feed and haul it to the cutter. A lot of the men used tobacco – they either smoked or chewed it. Well, my little brother, Ray, happened to find part of a pouch of chewing tobacco. I don’t remember whether it was just me or one of my other brothers with me who talked Ray into trying a little. He did but, boy, was he sick that night. I don’t know if Mom ever found out or not, but I know Ray never did it again.

And I remember when Duane built a ladder on the old windmill tower. I think Frances and Willis were also in on this scheme to fix a place to dive off into the tank. Duane couldn’t wait to cool off, and he climbed up the tower, but he didn’t have it nailed to the tower very well and it fell down with him. Boy, he lay flat on his back with knocked the wind out of him, but he got back up after a while.