Chapter 15
BUT
A STEP BETWEEN ME AND DEATH.
(Subtitle) THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH.
(From
the 1st week of January 1967 till late September 1967. I am seriously
injured in a head-on traffic collision where there was one fatality. My desired
career hangs in the balance, while it
takes months for me to recover from my injuries.)
After
moving out of my father’s house in January 1965, spending Christmas and New Year’s
back there with family and friends takes on a deeper meaning for me. Now for
the second time, I thoroughly enjoy those holidays at home, and head to
Auburn when they come to an end.
Having
been away from college life for 7 months now, the 1st week in
January I am so glad to pull Mr. Mars’ nice little tan Falcon into Mrs.
Taylor’s driveway, unload my cardboard boxes of college things into my nice
room in her lovely house, return to work at the cafeteria, register for Winter
Quarter, and start classes. I’m back in the saddle again! Such joy
it is to be back in my daily short walking commute across the university president’s
lawn. I wonder if he missed me.
This is my first time to be on
campus with Miss Mars here also. As soon as Friday comes, about 4 PM or so, I
drive Mr. Mars’ Falcon to his daughter’s dorm, go in, have her paged, and she comes
down to the lobby. ‘You keep the car for the weekend, so you and your girl friends can run around in it.’
“Really?!”
‘Yes,
really!’ I give her the car key. (She has a
drivers’ license, but no car.) I walk over half a mile to “my” cafeteria to joyfully
work the supper meal. Miss Mars does not live in 1 of the girls’ dorms where I
work. Her dorm is further away with its own cafeteria.
When I
first entered Auburn University, as a freshman, I got a D parking sticker from
campus police and slapped it inside my 55 Chevy’s back windshield. D parking
places were the lowest priority on the campus periphery, farthest
from central campus. A and B parking, most
conveniently, centrally located, were for professors and staff.
C parking was a little further out, and was for upper
classmen. D sticker cars (me) were not even allowed to drive thru
main campus (A, B, and C areas) between 7 AM and 5 PM on weekdays. (I might not
have those times exact.) Anyway, campus police slowly patrolling on a small motor scooter, checked the parking
stickers in the back windshield of all cars on campus, fining
violators.
With
an increasing number of cars becoming a problem, a new law
(hated by students) had recently been proclaimed. No
freshman is allowed to bring a 4-wheel vehicle to this town, unless
he lives more than a half mile from campus. (First time ever for such a
law at AU, and it brought out the sinful lying nature of several
freshmen guys who tried their best to falsify where they resided, in order to bring a car to Auburn.)
Anyway,
freshman Miss Mars was not permitted to bring a car to Auburn. Had she been
allowed to do so, possibly her daddy would have given her this Falcon for her
school car. I had not yet made any car payments
to Mr. Mars. So, in appreciation to him, each Friday I took the car to Miss
Mars for her to use thru Sunday night. The next time I saw Mr. Mars in person,
he kindly thanked me for doing so; for letting his daughter use his
car. What
a kind gentleman! I am most blessed to have his good, generous influence in my life!
This
January I turn 21 years old, now a full-fledged adult.
I am 2 years or so behind the normal person in maturing mentally and socially.
By now, I’m beginning to feel like I am college age. For the past 7 months, I
traveled much, did various roofing work and other jobs
relating to buildings. I supervised roofing crews. All this helped me feel like
I was maturing much, and becoming an adult. It
felt good. (A side note, I always strove to be fair and kind to
the men “under me”. I will continue to do the same when I become a Marine
officer.)
Navy
ROTC classified me as a junior for their classes (tho
I had missed the 1st term back in the fall, and the university still
classified me as a sophomore). The few junior and senior
Navy ROTC midshipmen who had taken the “Marine option” to become Marine
officers, were lumped into 1 small class at this time. Marine Major McMath
taught it.
There
were only 7 of us in that class this winter. (Not many university guys
here are hankering to die in Viet Nam’s steaming jungles.) There were only 2
senior midshipmen studying to be Marine officers. There were 5 of us
juniors; John ②,
Jerry, Jim, “Goofy” and me. I remember all their last names, but it is
best not to publish them here. I don’t recall Goofy’s actual first name,
because we all called him that nickname. These 4
juniors are my age. John and Jerry are natural leaders, and good
potential for Marine Corps officers. John is gung ho. He wants to be a
Marine infantry platoon leader (2nd Lieutenant) in Viet Nam, and kill as many Viet Cong as he can.
Later, he will be doing that exact duty in Nam. But sadly, John will
only be there about 5 weeks before an enemy kills him. On young John’s
fatal day, had John not been acting like he was invincible, likely he would not
have been killed.
Most happy
and relieved to start classes again in early January, I diligently
dig into all my studies in order to pass. I greatly
enjoy my private room in Mrs. Taylor’s nice house and working at the cafeteria,
walking there thru University President Philpot’s yard early each morning.
About mid-February Justus tells me that he was going home to Vernon for the weekend, and asks me to ride with him. OK. Mid-Friday afternoon, Sharon (a girl from Reform, Alabama)
also rode with us to Reform, about 30 miles south of Vernon. I spend the
weekend at Daddy’s, and leave Vernon for Auburn mid-afternoon on Sunday, riding
with Justus.
We stop in Reform to pick up Sharon. When we do so, I climb
into the back seat of Justus’ car. “Get up here in the front with us, so we 3
can talk together.” Two days before, on Friday, we 3 had ridden in the front
(bench) seat together, talking, laughing together, and such. Now Justus insists
we 3 sit together in front as before.
‘No, I
want to rest and relax on the way back. Might lie down and sleep some.’ Justus
let it go at that, and I sat in back. That
act was of the Lord, thank God. It either saved Sharon’s life and
mine, or saved us 2 from much more serious
injuries than we received in the upcoming head on collision with one fatality.
No, the fatality was not Justus, but rather the driver who came
head on at us on our side of the road.
Heading
toward Auburn, we quieted down after some time. I rested and snoozed some. As
twilight fell, we were nearing Auburn passing thru the town of Tallassee,
Alabama. Sharon, in the front passenger seat, had turned sideways toward Justus
and was dozing with her head laid on her left arm that was laid along the top
of the bench seat. (There were no headrests on the car seats back then.) There
were no seatbelt laws. Justus’ car had seatbelts (no shoulder straps),
but none of us was buckled up. To-o-o-o bad, that we were not.
Likely seatbelts would have saved all three of us a lot of pain and misery, especially
me. Had the driver who hit us head on, been buckled up, likely it
would have saved his life.
I glanced the time on
a large clock on a building in Tallassee. ‘Looks like we might get to Auburn
just in time for me to make the First Baptist Church’s Sunday evening service,’
I thought silently. But I didn’t make that service at all. In fact, I missed
church the next 3 Sundays, lying on a hospital bed.
We
were traveling on the main highway thru Tallassee, Alabama (Alabama State Hwy
14). Because dead men tell no tales, no one can know for sure why the driver
who hit us head-on was on our side of the highway. He was a local man, alone
in his car. We were following a pickup truck. From the back seat, I happened
to be watching the road ahead at the time. Ahead of the truck in front of us, I
see headlights coming toward us in our lane. Justus had not yet
seen them. My brain shifted into super fast mode!!!
‘If I yell at Justus, I do not think he would have time to take evasive action to swerve out of the way in time. We are going to hit head-on no matter what. And if I yell at Justus now, it will awaken Sharon with a start and fright, causing her to jerk straight up in that front seat and turn facing ahead to see what is going on. Then, when we hit head-on, that would powerfully thrust her face into the windshield, possibly thru it!’
All
those thoughts fleeted thru my mind in just a very short moment. I mentally
accepted the inevitable, as I watched the pickup truck in front of us swerve to
the left trying to avoid the oncoming car in our lane. The lady driver of the
pickup was partially successful. I watched the death dealing car
sideswipe the right side of her truck violently, sending her truck
flying upwards and to the left. Then the oncoming car hit our car
head-on.
It was NOT a fun event.
Justus had a 1962 (I think) Plymouth, a large heavy car. The car that hit us was similarly large and heavy.
The rapid,
short explosive sound of breaking glass and
crushing metals was awful. The impact was most powerful,
causing the fronts of both cars to abruptly rise up
2 or 3 feet, and then immediately fall back to the
pavement in a dead stop, neither
engine running. The smell of hot oil in the air. Suddenly all was very quiet and very painful. It was
no fun at all. My Dear Reader
Friend, pray earnestly that you never experience such trauma.
In
those days, automobiles were typically heavier than nowadays. The impact threw
me against the back of the front (bench) seat with such force that it
broke the front seat loose from all 4 of its moorings to the floor of the car.
(The front, bench seat of a 4-door 1962 Plymouth was securely
anchored to the floor.) That force pushed the front seat against Justus
and Sharon who each were plastered against the steering wheel and the dashboard
respectively.
The
force of the impact violently threw me forward into that front seat. It
also threw my torso downward from my head and upper torso. The downward
force of that rapid motion crushed the 12th
dorsal vertebra in my back, and compressed that
crushed vertebra 25%. Both of my feet and shins were forced under the back of
that front bench seat I broke loose from its moorings, peeling the skin off
several inches of the front of both shins. Thus, severe pain from my lower
back and both shins greeted me in the ensuing quiet after the impact. It is nothing
short of a miracle that it did not snap both bones in each lower leg and
thrust those bones thru the skin in a compound fracture of each leg below each
knee.
Justus’
mouth struck the steering wheel, breaking the steering wheel and knocking out 2
or so of his front, upper teeth. His forehead hit the windshield,
putting a “spider web” design into the safety glass, and giving Justus a concussion.
Sharon slammed sideways into the dashboard, breaking her right
upper arm that struck the dashboard. The side of her head also put a separate
“spider web” into the windshield, giving her a concussion in return.
Because of their concussions, neither of them has any memory of the accident
itself. I well remember it all.
Due to
his concussion, Justus starts constantly repeating, “What
happened?”
I repeatedly answer, ‘We had an accident.’ Or, ‘A car hit us.’
But
the memory of his question and my answer immediately evaporated from his mind. So,
he and I repeated that “drill” many times, much to my dismay. (It made me want
to wallop him over the head to see if that 2nd lick would
help reverse the damage of the 1st lick. But that certainly
wasn’t the nice thing to do at this time.)
In her
excruciating pain (and fear of dying, likely), Sharon soon starts
reciting aloud the Lord’s Prayer. Good going, Sharon!
The
unfortunate driver who hit us was 50-60 years old or so, possibly somewhat of a
heavy man with age. When his chest slammed against his steering wheel, the
impact broke some of his ribs. One broken rib went against his heart, possibly
piercing his heart. That killed him almost instantly.
Patrolling
on the same highway about half a mile behind us, and traveling in our
direction, was a State Trooper on duty. (Divine Providence) Tho
he yet had no notification of the accident, he arrived (to be surprised) about
40 seconds after the impact, just as I was sort of settling down from the
violent impact. I had no concussion. I remember everything. In
half a minute or so, I am looking out the side back window of our
car at the patrol car stopped beside us with its lights flashing, and the State
Trooper driver, in his driver’s seat, talking into a mike held to his mouth, as
he looked at each human soul in the 3 vehicles, and broadcast the
accident, calling for an ambulance, no doubt.
Houses
lined each side of the highway there.
Residents came running out of their houses (approximately Sunday suppertime),
when they heard the loud impact, running up to the 2 cars and the 1 pickup
truck about the same time the State Trooper arrived. (The lady driving the
pickup was without injury, or had only very slight
injuries.) Each resident did anything he or she could to help, which wasn’t
much. They focused on the driver (now unconscious) who hit us, as it was
apparent he was injured the worst. Several residents gathered around our car. “They
say they think the other driver is dead!” I hear one of them say.
‘That
could just as easily have been me,’ I thought silently,
and most seriously.
“Where
are you hurt?” Someone would ask each of us.
‘My
back and both lower legs are hurt.’
“I
think my arm is broken,” Sharon whimpered painfully.
A man
looked at her right side jammed up against the dashboard, her broken
right arm having pushed an arm-size, half-moon curve into the dashboard of the
car. “That arm is badly broken,” he said gravely to another person near
him. “Just look at how it’s twisted.” Upon hearing that frightening
news, frightened Sharon whimpered more loudly and desperately.
Hearing
that, the same man quickly adjusted his speech, trying to calm and
comfort her. “Maybe it’s not broken. Maybe it’s just twisted.”
He’s doing
his best to calm her, I thought.
Soon I
hear the wail of an ambulance’s siren,
as it raced to us. They were not sure the dead man was dead. So, they put him
into the ambulance, considering him to be most in need of help, when actually his soul and spirit had already departed that
place.
They
soon put Justus and me into a police car, and took us to a hospital in it. I did as I was told,
as 2 men (one on each side of me) held up each of my arms at the armpits and
helped me walk to the police car, and then I sat upright
riding in it, all that with a back
injury.
At that young age, I readily did what older adults in charge told me to do. But I should have slowly and gently laid myself down in the back seat of Justus’ car, and told all who approached me, ‘I have a serious back injury. Do not touch me or move me, till medical personnel can ease me out in this prone position, and place me onto a stretcher!’
“College
Boy Richard, do you think they aggravated your back injury by walking
you, and having you ride to the hospital sitting upright?”
‘Don’t
know. But they surely didn’t
help it any!’
The
one ambulance soon returned for Sharon and took her to the hospital. All 4 of
us were taken to the same local hospital in Tallassee. Lying on a stretcher in
a hallway staring at the ceiling, I heard loud sobbing and wailing,
as close relatives of the local dead man (who had rushed to the hospital)
learned that he was dead. (He was a bachelor.) I think it was his sister
who was wailing the loudest.
They
x-rayed and examined us three. Justus stayed in that hospital overnight, and was released the next day. Because Sharon and
I had busted bones, they soon laid us side by side on individual stretchers in
the back of an ambulance, and with its emergency lights flashing all the way,
hauled us both to a Southern Baptist hospital in Montgomery.
Due to
her concussion, thru out the hour or so ride, Sharon “entertained” me by
repeating many times the same questions and sentences to me. Truly it was a
night to be remembered, one that you
do not want to experience. Each
morning, earnestly and humbly pray to Almighty God to keep you and your family
safe this day. We never know what might come our way “on our side of the road”
of our earthly journey.
Around 9 PM, they got me into a room in the hospital in Montgomery.
They laid me on my back on the bed with no pillar. My back and both shins
throbbed in pain. Only the night staff was on the job
in the hospital. I soon told someone I was terribly hungry and needed
supper.
“Supper
mealtime has long passed. Next will be breakfast.”
‘I
haven’t had supper, and I sure am hungry.’
“I’ll
see what I can do,” the kind, sympathizing nurse said. She soon came back with
a half-pint carton of milk and a small pack of crackers. “This is the best I
can do,” she said apologetically as she gave them to me. I thanked her, and ate and drank every bit of the light snack. Likely,
she had bought it with her own money from a vending machine in the hospital. Bless
her kind soul, Lord!
Hospital
staff asked me for Daddy’s address and phone number. ‘If you’re going to call
my house, let me talk to them first.’ That would ease the shock,
and assure my folks I was able to talk on the phone. They would feel much
better talking to me in person first. The hospital staff firmly
and flatly refused my request. That flat refusal was wicked
and evil of that worldly medical facility.
I do not recall if they talked with Daddy or Janiece. Upon listening to the hospital staff’s report on the phone, my family member asked, “Should we come tonight?”
“If he
was (sic) my son, I would come!” Right there was one of the main
reasons I wanted to talk in person.
I wanted to tell Daddy or Janiece in person. ‘There is nothing you can do here now to help me. You don’t have to come any time soon at all. If you do want to come soon, try to get a good night’s rest tonight, and head out after breakfast tomorrow.’
But the
evil system of this world often prohibits
such sensible actions. I wasn’t allowed to speak. So,
listening to the hospital staff’s advice, my cousin (Bobby) brought Daddy and
Janiece in his car, arriving about 3 or 4 AM Monday, sleep-deprived
and weary from the middle of the night trip. They visited me first, and
then Sharon there in the hospital in Montgomery. Then, as the day began, they
drove to the funeral home in Tallassee where the dead driver was (who hit our
car), offering condolences to his family. (It is after 9 AM when they arrive
there.) Soon after, my three family members head back
for Vernon that afternoon, ever so worn out, tired and
sleepy.
This
was my 1st time to be hospitalized. During my hospital
stay (about 3 weeks), our church’s Pastor Hollis brought Daddy, and they 2
visited me. Daddy and my brother Sidney came together once. Janiece and Cousin
Bobby came together again. Mr. Mars came 2 or 3 times. Soon Marine Major McMath
(my ROTC instructor) came from Auburn, alone. Two of my Marine classmates, John
② and
Jerry, drove over from Auburn together in Jerry’s car and visited me. (None of
these groups listed, visited me on a day when another
group or person was visiting, which was best.)
Thank
God, surgery on my injured back was not necessary.
My doctor told me I would have to lie flat of my back on that
hospital bed with no pillar for about 3 weeks to allow that crushed
vertebra to start healing. Then they would fit me with a back brace, and release me from the hospital.
I
asked the doctor if I would be physically fit to be a Marine officer when
recovery from the injury was complete. He carefully, kindly, and encouragingly
worded a somewhat vague answer. Thus, I concluded it was definitely hanging in doubt,
whether I could now become a Marine officer and a pilot.
Thus,
I now lay abed stunned. Last
year, I was out of college the last 7 months of the
year. Thus, it was a great relief and joy to finally
get back into college just a short time ago in early January, getting my
higher education underway again. But ever so soon, this accident
puts me out of school again, and with a serious injury.
‘Will
I graduate from this university? If I do, will I be physically qualified
to become a Marine officer and pilot?’ Will I be physically able
to much at all? God had created me with a
strong body. Is that never again to be, for the rest of my days
on earth? My stunned mind seriously turned over such
thoughts during my 24 hour-a-day free time
on that hospital bed, observing the bland ceiling.
That
was the lowest, darkest valley I have thus far journeyed thru,
to date, on this date late in the year 2024 as I re-edit this life
journey of mine!!!
Staring
up at that hospital room ceiling for 3 weeks caused me to think most seriously
about life. I thought on that other driver dying
instantly just a few feet from me. We 3 souls in our car came close to
being killed. Life is most fragile (can be instantly
and unexpectedly snuffed out). There is certainly no
promise of another minute of life for either
young or old, especially of another day
of life.
I
thought on how I had taken my healthy, strong body for granted, lacking in
thanksgiving to God for bestowing it upon me when He created me.
I
resolved to live for God, being soundly reminded that death can overtake any
soul at any time. Many of those nights in the hospital, in my fitful
sleep I vividly dreamed of the accident, the horrible sound of
the glass and metal upon impact coming back ever so clearly in nightmare-like
dreams. It took several months for those dreams to completely cease.
On the
day the hospital dismissed me, Tommy W. drove over from Auburn and took me back
there. I had left the Falcon car with Miss Mars before leaving Auburn for
Vernon. So, she got to use it for more than 3 weeks. I asked Tommy to take me
to her dorm, and she gave me the car key. I part from them and drive alone to Mrs.
Taylor’s house. That dear grandmother was fraught over my
injuries, so glad to see me, so happy to have me back in her house. To say the
least, I was most happy to be back.
I had
missed too much class time to complete my courses this winter quarter. I had to
go thru the process of dropping all of them, much paperwork in various offices
on campus. In Major McMath’s office, I asked him to let me drop back a year in
Navy ROTC, and in September become a part of the class behind me. He agreed, and allowed me to do so. I see this painful
accident as a part of God further delaying my college education, thus
keeping me out of Viet Nam. Why did He choose such a Painful Method?
Because His Ways are above our ways. Amen!
Tho I was not attending any classes now, I stayed at Auburn
till the last meal was served at the dining hall at the end of the
winter quarter (mid-March or so). I think it was at this time that I gained the
job of cashier there, sitting at the end of the serving line, punching each
girl’s meal ticket and checking each girl’s food tray to make sure they didn’t
take more than was authorized. This job paid $1 or
more per day in addition to my meals. It was the most
coveted job amongst us student workers. I thank God for giving it to me.
Tho I badly needed wages, I was not physically able to
do Mr. Mars’ roofing work during the break between winter and spring terms at
Auburn. So, after the last meal was served at the dining hall, I drove that
Falcon to Vernon and spent the week or so of spring break at Daddy’s house.
Relatives and friends are glad to see me alive and recovering. Enough said
about that.
Soon
(March 20 or so), back I go from Vernon, to Mrs.
Taylor’s house, to the cashier job at the dining hall, to registration for, and
the start of Spring Quarter 1967. That’s exactly where I desired
to be. Such a joy to back in university life again!
Tho I knowest it not at this time, there will be no more
interruptions or delays in my planned progress
toward university graduation. With each passing day of that progressing
reality, the sun shines brighter upon my soul.
Doctor’s
orders were as follows. Walk as little as possible, and practically no other
physical activity. Lie flat of your back in bed 10 to 12 hours each night, and as long as you can during the day to keep pressure off of that damaged vertebra as it heals. When you are not
lying down, always wear that brace tightly clinched up! You may
take brief showers without the brace, limiting your movements as much as
possible, and moving slowly, gently. I strove to follow the doctor’s orders,
knowing it was for my good, tho it sure cramped my
active lifestyle.
Campus
police issued me a C Zone sticker for my car, because of my physical
“handicap”. With it, I could freely drive thru all of campus during the day, and
park in C areas located more conveniently than the “far out” D areas. I took a
somewhat “light” study load, enjoyed the pleasant spring weather, the nice
cashier’s job at the cafeteria, relaxed, and lay abed many hours, with both
hands holding up a textbook over my “face up” prone position as I tried to
study.
I strove
to mentally relax, and to not worry about my unsure
future, wondering to what extent I might be handicapped till I die. Thanks
be to God; the sailing steadily gets smoother from now
on.
One
course I took this spring was an “English” class of “Speech”. The Prof taught
us how to properly make a good and effective speech.
Over a period of 2 months or so, I prepared several speeches (informative,
persuasive, etc.), stood before the class and presented each speech (as did
each of my classmates). After each speech given by a student, Prof critiqued it
before the entire class, so we all could “glean” from that critique. (Prof also
graded each speech we gave.) I liked that class, and made good grades on my speeches. It all helped prepare me to preach sermons.
During
spring quarter, I do not dress in my Navy midshipman’s uniform, because I’m
wearing that back brace. Thus, I do not drill one day each week with the other
midshipmen. But I do take the Marine course of 3 classroom hours each week,
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I also must to be
present each Tuesday and Thursday on lab day and drill day, tho
I didn’t participate in drilling.
Near
the end of Spring Quarter, 2nd Lieutenant Wright ③ dropped by Auburn U. and
talked to our “Marine” class about The Basic School training he had just
completed at Quantico. He had been in Navy ROTC here, and I knew him then. As
he talked to us, he was under orders to head on to Viet Nam where he would become
an infantry platoon leader in the war. Because all of us “Marine option”
midshipmen he addressed would soon be going to The Basic School at Quantico, he
briefed us on things there.
“As an
officer, you will be required to buy US savings bonds,” was one thing he
told us. The military required that as a duty of ours to help keep our country
strong. Lt. Wright added, “My wife can make good use of mine,” hinting
that he didn’t expect to return from Viet Nam alive. He was right about
that. He was soon killed in Viet Nam, shot by a Viet Cong sniper, we
heard back here at Auburn Navy ROTC.
Spring
Quarter at AU ends. Back in early March when the doctor
fitted me with the back brace and dismissed me from the hospital, he told me I
would have to wear the brace 5 to 6 months. Recovery
was expected to take that long. Thus, I cannot do roofing work this
summer. So, I attend the summer quarter at Auburn. Since I was a tiny boy of 6 years
old or so, this is the first summer in my life (at age 21), that I do
not slave away at manual labor all summer, outside in the heat. That
made for a pleasant summer. (However, I prefer slaving
away at hard labor, to lazily recuperating from a broken back.)
Mrs.
Taylor wants my room for her summer guests. So, I again
go to the housing referral office on campus seeking a room to rent. A man professor
was managing its desk at the time. One other male student (Jerry) was in the
office at that time, looking for a room for the summer. Likely that professor
told us what rooms were available, and where they were located. All I remember
now is that he told us he rented the 3 basement rooms in his house to male
students, 1 student per room. One room was presently occupied. Two
rooms were available.
Both
Jerry and I were interested. The professor drove us to his house in his car,
and Jerry and I each rented those 2 rooms upon seeing them. I do not recall the
professor’s name. I lodged in his basement for this summer term. Jerry was a
graduate student, married, living in Atlanta, Georgia. He was employed with a
good job (school teacher, I’m quite sure), and chose to study this summer. After high school, Jerry had served 2 years or so as an enlisted Marine. So, this
summer, he and I frequently chat about the Marines, and his previous tour of
duty on Okinawa.
“On
the Okinawa base, in the dead of the night, one other mischievous Marine and I
snuck out to the base’s flag pole, and ran a Japanese
war flag up the flagpole. Then, at 7 AM when the flag detail come to
run up the Stars and Stripes and the Marine Corps flag, they are greeted with
the sight of that Jap war flag already flying over our base. Base Commander (a
general) was plenty mad, but he never found out who did it, ha, ha.” Such
doings make up life in the U. S. elite Marine Corps.
This
summer, we 3 guys park our cars behind this nice house in a high-class suburb, and enter the basement from the back of the house
built on an incline that sloped away from the street. We each had a private room, and shared the one bath in
the basement. We would see our landlord’s family daily in passing. Again, I am
residing in a family atmosphere. That greatly enhances college life for
me. Also, the basement rooms were quite cool in the hot summer.
Once,
this landlord and his wife asked me to “baby sit” their 3 sons, while they 2
attended some evening function. I don’t know why they chose me over the other 2
guys. I felt that I was the least qualified for the job. But I agreed to do so.
That was my 1st time to baby sit. I had no experience,
and was apprehensive of being responsible for their kids.
At the
appointed time I went up to their living room where all five of them presently
were. The couple briefed me very well, and then went
out. The oldest son was about 11 and the youngest was about 5. We played board
games and such in their living room. I put the youngest 2 to bed first, at the
time their parents had designated. The middle son popped out of bed a time or
two, begging me to let him keep playing with us (his oldest brother and me).
Their parents had warned me of such. I was quite firm. Then I ordered the
oldest to bed at his prescribed time. I sat up in the living room till the
parents returned around midnight. I was most relieved that all was safe
and sound when the parents returned, all 3 boys alive and well. (Baby-sitting
or child sitting is not my specialty.)
This summer
of 1967 is the 1st of 2 times that I attend the Summer Quarter at
Auburn. I especially like summer sessions. At
this time, only about 25% of the student body attends in the summer,
giving the campus a much less crowded, easy-going, relaxed atmosphere.
The few professors don’t seem to push us so hard during the summer. The campus
and town have much less traffic, which means fewer problems. I again take a
somewhat light study load this quarter, enjoy being around the few girls that eat
in the cafeteria, relax, and take it easy on my injured back that is steadily
mending.
This
summer, I take a “Debate” class, sort of a sequel to my previous “Speech”
class. I have a different Professor for Debate, a young Prof who delights to sharpen our debating skills. Usually, we
debate in teams of about 3 students, “arguing” against a team of 3 other
classmates about the topic Prof assigned to us, each student being graded on
each debate he or she participates in. Each team (in turn) would argue “in
favor of” the subject. Then Prof would make us switch,
and argue just as fiercely “against” the subject.
This
was something new to Young Me. I’m either for or against
something, definitely not both. I
felt like a hypocrite Christian, like a lawyer,
and like a politician, switching sides like that in a debate. In a
similar way as Speech class, Debate class also honed my preaching ability.
Thank God that when I preach, I preach God’s Side only,
and never switch sides in hypocritical fashion.
My
basement room was more than a mile from the dining hall. So instead of walking
to work, I drive the Falcon to the dining hall early each morning, and then
drive onto main campus for classes, with my C Zone sticker. (In Summer Quarter,
fewer cars on campus usually insured that C Zone parking spaces were
available.) Many days, I did not go back to my room till after I worked supper
at the cafeteria. There are no Navy ROTC classes or activities
during the summer term. That greatly simplifies college life for me this
summer.
After
my last class of the afternoon, I often drive to the cafeteria to sit at a dining
table there studying till suppertime. The air conditioning is most
comfortable. Each afternoon, I freely help myself to a mid-afternoon snack
of Jello salad (or a piece of cake or pie), with a glass of milk. Deliciously
Refreshing!!! I recall when I was about 14 years old watching “Lassie” on
TV. On one Lassie show, when Timmy came home from school, his mother greeted
him kindly with “How about some cookies and milk.” Growing up, I never
got such greetings on returning home. Now, it’s nice to come to the cafeteria
after school, and freely help myself to such goodies.
Once
every two months or so, I drive to my doctor’s office in Montgomery for a
“checkup.” As that vertebra heals, he allows me to start getting into the water
this summer. “Slowly and easily paddle around. No extreme movements. Do not
exert yourself forcefully, even in the water.”
So, on
many afternoons I would drive out to lovely Lake Chewacla,
and slowly paddle around in the water for 2 hours or so. This exercising begins to build back the much strength I have
lost by being inactive. That workout builds up an appetite. So, I would drive
back to the cafeteria, and help myself to any of the
several foods available between meals as I studied, then soon eat a big supper,
and then punch the meal tickets of those sweet Southern Belles as they came
thru the food line. It was a relaxed, fun summer that I enjoyed immensely.
When I
dropped out of Winter Quarter due to the injury, I got no tuition refund from
the university. So, I lost all the money I had put into that school term. I was
not receiving roofing wages this summer. I had borrowed
money from the bank again. I had not paid kind Mr. Mars anything on the
car. My finances were in poorer shape than ever as a college boy. My
gloomy financial situation hung over me like a dark cloud, especially
with me being physically handicapped at the time.
Because
Justus was not at fault in the accident, he immediately went to a
Tallassee lawyer for advice. (Likely in a nutshell the advice was: “Let’s get
all the money we can, from anyone and everyone we can.”) The lawyer soon paid
me a visit in the hospital in Montgomery, and wrote my
account of the accident as I related it to him. Of course, he didn’t fail to
ask me if I had a lawyer. I didn’t. “Do you want me to represent your interest
in this case?” I certainly did. Likely it was the same day he visited Sharon
in the hospital, and became her lawyer also, representing us three.
The
deceased driver who had hit us had absolutely no vehicle
insurance. He was a bachelor. He left behind practically no estate or assets
for our lawyer to go after. So, our lawyer first sued Justus’ car insurance
company on their “uninsured motorist clause”. That clause stated that if an
uninsured motorist was at fault and caused us injury and damage, then Justus’
insurance company became his insurance company also. Likely
it was late July or early August this summer when our lawyer got Justus,
Sharon and me a settlement in this manner, and out of court.
After
the lawyer took his nice size cut, my own personal share was about $2,300,
paid to me in one check. (Till now, the most money I
had ever had at one time was about $500.) This $2,300 lump sum is an immense relief to me in my tightest
of financial situations, lifting a most heavy burden off my mind. I
breathe free air again (financially). It’s most refreshing and
relieving.
I pay off my bank loan in full.
I’ve
not yet been able to pay Mr. Mars any of
the $400 I owe him for that Falcon car. So, I mail him
a check for $500. I thank him for his quiet patience over such a long period of
time with me making no payments. He wrote back to say that the extra $100 was
not necessary. I told him I want him to keep it. I am
glad that he kept it. Tho I wasn’t rich, Mr. Mars
deserved that for his much goodness to me. I wanted him to have it.
When I
received that $2,300, about a month of classes remained till summer term ended.
I became completely free of financial debt. I presently had more than
enough money for the Fall Quarter. Because I had known much extreme poverty
in my life almost continuously until now, it felt so good for that “great burden” to
now be lifted. For the remainder of my college days, (though not rich)
at no time will I be “extremely cramped” financially. For the 1st
time in my short life, I can breathe somewhat easy, financially.
You well know how that one factor alone makes life much more pleasant
and carefree! I was most relieved and happy this summer to get that
$2,300.
My
doctor permits me to swim more vigorously. So, I do that often on the lovely lake.
Likely it was right at the end of Summer Quarter (late August), when I visited
Doc and he told me the vertebra had mended completely, and I no longer
needed to wear the back brace. That was wonderful news that I had been waiting
for. I greatly enjoyed this Summer Quarter at Auburn, especially
after getting that lump of money.
Thank
Thee, Lord Jesus, for healing me and restoring me to good health and strength,
and for providing so abundantly.
College
days this summer have a different (and enjoyable) flavor, living in the
professor’s basement in a lovely subdivision out in the woods. I have extremely
fond memories of Summer School at Auburn University
1967. Betterment in life!
There
are about 4 weeks between the end of Summer Quarter and the start of Fall
Quarter in late September. With a little money in my pocket now, I’m not
desirous to slave away at the hot, dirty roofing work. But Mr. Mars calls on me
to work, wanting a good worker. So, I do roofing work for
that good man some of the time during those 4 weeks. I feel more at ease being
around his kind family now, after paying him in full for his car. I’m
thankful to get the roofing income, and to enjoy much time with him and his
family till the fall term at Auburn starts in late September 1967. Precious
Lord Jesus, Thou art MOST Gracious!
The
End of Chapter 15