Monday, July 20, 2009

A Faithful Scout Indeed.

This is a special post that I am sending out to my dear nephew Steven who appreciates all things "Joe City" & who himself is a great example of what this little town can produce. There have been many a scout brought up in Joe City but none as faithful & hard working as this one!
If you pay any attention to Gale Hansen you have seen this sight many a time. The one thing missing would be his less than excited farm hands.
Oh, here they are! Well by proxy anyway. I recruited the younger generation to fill in for me. I even got them up very early in the morning so I could capture that "I can't believe we are awake & have to go work" look. They do look quite similiar to the originals don't you think? I'm sure the memories aren't as fond for them as they are for me, but I will always remember seeing them early in the morning, while Julie & I were walking, sitting on the tail gate donning they're irrigation boots & long faces as they drove past us on their way to the farm.
Here's the ScoutMaster himself. Here stands the essence of Joe City. A hardworking farmer & his trusty steed, but in Gale's case, "Scout". It is plain to see that this machine has seen better days. On hot days, if you drive fast enough, you can generate the air conditioning through the holes in the floor board, but if you make a sharp turn you may get more air conditioning than you want when the door flies open. Riding in this vehicle is a real "raw" experience. You'd better have some gloves on & be ready to work, otherwise get out! I think that could be our town motto!
"On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to Gale and his farm and to obey the Joe City Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong and haul as many bales of hay as I possibly can without blowing my transmission, mentally awake and morally straight, as long as the farmer driving me hasn't been awake all night irrigating"
This scout definitely lives up to it's oath. I might have to start saluting when it goes by!

6 comments:

  1. I think your town motto is perfect! I remember the days of irrigating and hauling hay with my dad...I always figured thats why I had 3 boys so they could help my dad with the farm! I'm sure they'll have as much enthusiasm as "Steven, JC and Mike" did! I'll make sure they know that scout motto, that should keep em in line!

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  2. Bravo! Yes! Thanks Cat. That old vehicle holds so many memories. And it's still around to make more. Kind of like our town and our family.

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  3. I've actually been on a date via the Scout, and 20 years later had my whole family taken to Chevlon canyon. Oh, the places that Scout has driven to.

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  4. I remember my Dad taking us to Pizza Hut in Holbrook in the Scout once. Ha ha

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  5. I remember wishing the bottom of that thing would fall out completely, so we could drive it like Fred Flinstone.
    Your posts are so perfect. If you go to blurb.com, you can make them into a book (I would buy one!)

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