History Over the river and through the woods...

In the late 70's when our twin girls we very young we drove the wagon to a club house my uncle had rented for our Thanksgiving dinner since the family had outgrown my grandparents small home.



It was a short drive, maybe 40 miles but it was a adventure and at that time the wagon was long on wear & tear and short on reliability.

I had everyone loaded up with time to spare and I had a extra quart of oil just to be safe, about half way there I ran over something and cut a tire, after getting off the road and unloading the food and ice chest to access the spare tire I discovered the square foot platform of the jack was missing.

Having to make do with what was in the car and on the side of the road I found a piece of 2" x 6" in the ditch and I wedged rocks front and rear and got the Mrs. & the kids away from the car and jacked it up slowly. I managed to get the tire off and the spare on and let the car down only to see the tire was under inflated.

I loaded all the stuff & family back in the wagon and eased on down the road at this point we are in between towns and on old country back roads.

Here in the South during this time period there was no cell phones and country stores & gas stations were closed for the holiday so I eased on down the road until I heard a loud boom, the spare blew and I was screwed and we are already late getting to the dinner.

All I could do was start walking and trying to find a phone booth at a closed store or a farm house with someone home, I was about to get out of the car when I saw a elderly man coming down the road on a old Ford tractor and I waved him down.

I told him my problem and he said he lived about 4 miles back down the road and told me to get on the tractor and he would take me to his house and loan me the spare tire and jack from his car.

Long story short the gentleman drove me back to the car in his truck and stayed while I changed the tire and although is spare was a 15" it got me to the Family Thanksgiving dinner, I was only 2 hours late and dirty but the family members were happy to see us.

On Friday morning I removed the spare Mr. McClain had loaned me and put it in the back of my pickup and drove back to his farm, upon arrival I thanked him and offered to pay him for his generosity, something I had totally neglected to do the previous day but he refused any payment and said he was glad he could help.

When I got to the end of his long dirt driveway I stop and grabbed a ink pen out of the glove box and wrote "Thank You" on a twenty dollar bill, walked across the road to his big mail box and stuck it inside, I never saw Mr. McClain again, judging his age at the time I'm sure he has met his maker many years ago but when I think of Mr. McClain I'm sure I wasn't the only person that he offered to help on that long lonely stretch of country road at one time or another.

He was a true Southern Gentleman. HRP

 

We just dont see that very much nowadays with all this crazy crap people do.

 

Some times it take me more than once to get it just right.

 

Sadly your right,times have changed.

Possibly Mr. McClain saw a young couple with two children broke down,in distress and did what came naturally for a man of his generation. HRP

 

Got up to 62° so I was able to get the 33 through the woods and on some back roads of New Hampshire.

 

The boss lady ask me to fix the vacuum cleaner today,I took it apart and found a broken belt so like a fool I went out in search of a replacement on BLACK FRIDAY of all days,traffic is insane but the trip was much more enjoyable when drives my old BLACK DEUCE beater.

Mission accomplished,made the boss lady happy,vacuum repaired,and I got to drive my hot rod. HRP

 

thanksgiving morning i drove my truck to go buy this.

 

today i did get to drive the hot rod. 65 degrees. gave my nephews a ride.

 

Possibly Cob,but she is also a hamber. HRP

 

I could look at pictures of your cars and trucks all day with the beautiful estate like property in the background!
I see the young gun in the driving seat?

 

Getting a picture of my 33 on that property is on my bucket list

 

thanks.
he is in the drivers seat just for the photo............and i took the keys out

 

Is that a Vespa? HRP

 

yes a 1961................pretty dorky...................
i am going to wear leather and tie a snot rag around my head like the harley guys when i ride it

 

like toads;

 

When you think about it, you realize that generation Mr McClain was from represents the finest this world will ever have to offer. Sad, but true.

 

You got that right Gary,I feel sure Mr. McClain was a elder statesmen from the greatest generation. HRP

 

I am 56 and have the utmost respect for Mr. McClain's generation.
What they accomplished when WW2 started is still a story that leaves me in awe.
Women in the plants riveting and building and young men going to War to fight.
Following generations have never had to do what they did.
And truthfully I don't know if they could.
We are so lucky they were there for us when we needed them.
Much Respect Given.
I Also have much respect for the Men And Women serving today for us, it just seems WW2 was something so big that hopefully it will never happen again.

 

WHAT IS THAT THING OVER THE SEATS? nice weather T-day at my place with grandkids but daughter & I had old vet out ( top down) for trip to Walmart - her for Xmas lights me for ammo. HAPPY T-day to all.

 

Some guys on here not know what those black "crows" are. HMMMMMM turkey....

 

Hey Amishmike,

Here you go! Actually, we had the top down for most of the ride.