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During the summer of 1952 I worked at
Camp Green Brier. (Now I am on the board of directors of a camp in Va in
competition with them) I was hired as a life guard. Barry Keadle and H. M.
Rigg also worked there that summer. After a few weeks on the job some of the
senior campers were wondering how far it was to the top of Keeney's Knob. I
didn't know the distance but asked them if they wanted to walk up there. I
had been there twice by going across country, starting at a little road at
muddy creek and then following a power line across the mountain to the fire
tower. With the blessing of the camp about six or seven of us started out
one morning. We were given a ride to muddy creek on the blue sulfur road and
the started out. We had water and enough food for an overnight. I had my
trusty S/W single six 22 cal on my hip in its Roy Rogers type belt with all
the little loops with extra shell in them. You could do that back then. We
spent most of the day walking up to the tower and on arriving I raised a
window, crawled inside and unlocked the door (I had done this before on
earlier trips)
We all went inside had supper and spent the rest of the evening looking
around the area. There was a spring with great tasting water. Later that
evening we prepared for bed. I think there were two bunk beds and maybe one
more. Some of us wanted to sleep and others wanted to stay up with the light
on. After some debate I showed off my fast draw and shot out the over head
light. Every one got quiet and went to bed. Was this a dumb thing to do?
Sure it was but when you are 17 years old you don't stop to think. The next
morning we cleaned up every thing real nice, put in a new light bulb and
prepared to leave. One thing we didn't do is patch the hole in the ceiling
by the overhead light. I wonder if it is still there? Nothing was said about
this little show during the rest of camp and I forgot about it.
Some time in the fall during football season my Uncle Harry Rowe (President
of the First National bank in Alderson at that time) met me on the street
and had an official type paper in his hand that told of the trip to the fire
tower and of the guy who said "forget the $#& switch, I'll shoot the $#@&&
light out." Uncle Harry said "Jimmy D. (Kin folks called me that) is this
true?" I said "Yes sir, that is about how it happened". He said that he
would see what he could do about it. I never heard a word about it after
that and don't know what low life camper turned me in. I don't know what
Uncle Harry did but he covered it up so well that my parents never even knew
it happened.
We can all (most of us) look back and see really dumb things we did as young
boys wanting to act like men. I am glad I survived those years and made it
this far in life. My Uncle Harry and aunt Jo always welcomed me to their
home and I always had a place to stay in town when there was a football or
basketball game in the evening during my school days. I still like to shoot
pistols but do it at an indoor range. |
