Shoeless

Few days ago who came in to see me – none other than Billy Goat Mitchell without a sign of a shoe or stocking on. It was during this extreme hot and dry weather we have been having. I can’t say I blame him a bit for coming down the street barefooted. It reminded me of the days of my youth when I use to run through the cow pasture that way, use to cut my foot where the cows had been, especially where they bedded down for the night. My old friend, Sis Duff came in the store about this time who I am guessing to be way along in her eighties. She remarked that she had walked all the way from Walker’s Branch into town. She said that she would like to be near home where she could take off her shoes and walk out into the cool waters of the branch that ran in front of her home to cool off her dogs. How well I can recall the days that I visited her home. We had to go in a two horse wagon, went there to get apples in the fall of the year, but we usually ended up with pumpkins, corn of the gritting type, walnuts, potatoes, along with several glasses of either sweet or butter milk. Sis had them all.

Few days ago I talked to Allan Moore, whom I have known for many years. I asked him what run he was on, since he worked for the only railroad that came into our area. He gave me a reply that he had retired from work since 1955. Allan states that since he retired from the railroad his wife retired about this time also. Allan was with the L & N for forty five years.

Another citizen I can well recall is none other than D. K. Ritchie. He was Chief of Police in Hazard when I was growing up. He put the fear of God in we teenagers during his time. D.K. is now 75 but says he can’t hold a light to his brother, Dr. S.M. Ritchie who is somewhere in his eighties. He says that Doc is always gone fishing somewhere. D.K. tells me that he has been going down to his farm in Todd County where he has been getting his share of squirrel this year. D. K. says the only thing wrong with the trip is his family won’t let him drive that far anymore. Ambition at the age of 75 must be a wonderful thing and should be an inspiration to our younger generation if they would only think of it in this manner. If they only realized what they could profit from a few hard knocks of life, then they would.