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I have enjoyed the stories about Curt
and I concur that he was not only a character, but a "buddy" to all. When
I was very young I was privileged on some hot Sunday afternoons to go to
Mr. Yates' side yard for a game of croquet. The Yates family and Sawyer
families were next door neighbors and lifelong friends (that would be
Curt's parents and Chic Yates' parents. As many will recall Mrs. Yates was
a very proficient seamstress). Those games were often fiercely competitive
and often hotly contested. Anyway Curt would often be there as a
participant, and I as a youngster thought that he was just about the best
guy around. At the time Curt was a teenager and I not much more than 5 or
6 years old. It was during those years that I really began to know Curt
and probably tagged along after him at every opportunity.
A few years ago, not long before Curt's death, I happened to be in our
attic looking through some very old family photographs and mementoes of
years past saved by my mother many years ago. It was at that time that I
happened to see an old post card among the other things in a long
forgotten box. The most interesting thing about the card was the post
mark. It had a military post mark used in WW II to post the troop's mail
back to the states. I picked it up and discovered that the card was
addressed to me. It was written by a very young man who, at the time was
on a troop ship headed to Europe. This young man told me that he had
finished his basic training, that every day during basic he thought of his
many friends back in Alderson. As I read the card I realized that this
young man was so homesick that his emotions just poured off of the card.
His words about how much he loved his family, his home town, and all of
his friends was truly emotional. I could only think of the thoughts that
must be traveling with him on this unknown journey, to an unknown fate, in
a foreign land away from all that he had ever known or ever cared for. I
must admit that I did not remember receiving the card (I was probably
about 7 or 8 years old at the time, and I suspect that it is the reason
that my mother had saved it for me to be read at some later time when I
might have a greater understanding of the meaning).
After I regained my composure from reading this card, I reminded myself
that I had not visited Curt and Oretha in quite some time. I got in my car
and went to see them. I found Curt in his garden pulling some weeds and
passing time pursuing one of his great pleasures. After some initial small
talk I read the card to Curt and I shall never forget the expression on
his face. It was as though those memories of almost 50 years ago sprang
into the present. He began to cry. That moment when he realized that he
was, of course, that young man I could see him reliving the memories of a
faded past in another time. As was his nature Curt quickly recovered and
headed straight to the house with the card in hand to show it to Oretha. I
told him that day that the card was on loan to him and that I cherished it
and would like it back, but later on as I left his home which was the last
time that I was to visit with him I sort of realized that the card was
where it belonged.
One of the other stories told by someone was about Curt's dog. I am not
sure how many dogs he had over the years, but his dog was always the best
hunting dog, bird dog and all around pure perfect animal that could be
had. Ray Spence, one of Curt's oldest and best friends shared a story with
me many years ago about Curt's dog. I am not sure how many of you remember
an FBI agent who was stationed in Lewisburg by the name of George Patterson, but
he and Curt were friends, and actually rivals in many ways. I believe that
Patterson fancied himself as a great shot, a big time hunter, and a near
perfect outdoorsman. Well, as you can imagine this was the perfect person
to go "head to head" with Curt in many areas. It seems as though Patterson
had a magnificent "rabbit dog" and that dog, according to Patterson was
the best rabbit tracker in Greenbrier County. Well, as luck would have it
Curt's dog just happened to be the best in the same sport according to
Curt. After many weeks and probably months of argument the two of the
decided it was time for a show down. They decided to meet in a large field
just off of Hoffneigle Road outside of Lewisburg where it was rumored to
be the home of a very adequate number of rabbits. The story actually has
two endings. One was told by Curt and the other by Patterson. According to
Patterson they met at the appointed field, and Curt's dog immediately
began sniffing and running; sniffing and running.........You could tell
that the dog was going to soon be "hot on the trail" of a rabbit. After a
few minutes of this activity a car happened to turn off of the Davis
Stuart Road onto Hoffneigle and head down Hoffneigle parallel to the field
where the famed rabbit dog was hunting. I am sure that we all can guess
what happened next.........The dog took off down Hoffneigle Road chasing
the car and it took a half hour for these men to catch the dog. I will
leave the rest of this story about Curt's rendition to you to figure out.
- Tom Dameron |
