More Stories from Central:

Chappie’s Childhood Stories

 

Editor’s Note: Here we continue with the childhood stories of Marvin Chapman “Chappie” Morgan, and his memories of growing up in Central during the 1940s.

 

The Indictment

Gladys Gilmore was baby sitting me one time at her house. I don’t remember the details, but I did my business on her kitchen linoleum floor. When she found it, she commenced scolding me and wanting to know why I had done such a thing. I don’t recall what I said; but I remember standing there, head hanging low, receiving her scolding. There wasn’t much I could say in self-defense with the evidence laying there passively rendering me guilty.

 

The Party Suit

One day there was a party at Albert Gilmore’s house. I think it was a birthday party for his girl cousin whom I remember as being a beauty. We could look out the front window and see their house where our lane met the Rounsville’s lane. I went to the party twice, but Mama had to tell me about what happened before I went the first time, as I don’t remember that part. She got the other kids ready first and sent them on to the party. But, my pants needed mending or ironing causing me to have to wait.

 

As I was standing there in my shirt-tail, with nothing on my bottom, I could see the kids playing and having a big time, and I was having a fit to get down there with them. Unknown to Mama, cousin Lewis Lambert opened the door and told me to go on down there with the rest of the kids. He didn’t have to tell me twice. Away I went with my bare bottom shining. Mama finished with my duds and looked for me to dress me. She looked out the window and saw me bee-lining it out the lane towards the other kids. She really had to fly to catch me, and she did catch me just as I got to the Gilmore’s front yard. Of course, all the youngins’ saw me parading in there in nothing but my shirttail and my birthday suit.

 

A Blistered Butt

I started first grade in September 1941 while living at Route 4, Hooper Road. We rode Mr. Hun Carpenter’s bus eleven miles to school each day. The end of his route was on Mickens Lane at Ford Street School; but sometimes I would stay on causing Mr. Hun to make another stop at our house on his way back home. I did this one day, and Mr. Hun didn’t know I was still on the bus. He had it kicked back and headed for home and was about to buzz past our driveway. From the back of the buss I holler, “Mr. Hun!!” He slammed on the brakes. The bus benches back then ran along the side of the bus from front to back, one continuous long bench. The padding cover was cloth treated or pained with black paint. When he hit the breaks, I slid from the back all the way to the front and hit the bar running behind his driver’s seat. He asked me if I was OK, and I said, “yessir.” He opened the door and out I jumped and ran to the house with my little butt just a-smokin’.

 

Sugar Cane

The first time I ever went to the McAdams' farm was a couple of years before Jimmy moved into the neighborhood. Mr. McAdams grew sugar cane, so Mama sent me up there one day with a silver dime to buy a few stalks. I climbed the high board fence to the left of his house and walked around through the pasture to a smaller gate in back. There was a large dip under the gate. As I approached, several curr dogs came charging under the gate barking like crazy. I tore out running across the pasture and reached the same concrete block and trash pile where the cow pony would so vigorously jump later. There, I fell down in the burnt tin cans and broken glass just as the dogs caught up with me. Mr. McAdams came out through the gate as fast as he could and called the dogs off. I stood up trembling and white as a sheet and noticed a cut along the top of one big toe. I thought one of the dogs had bitten me, but it probably got scratched in the trash pile. Mr. McAdams took me into the back yard and gave me all the sugar cane I could carry. It was a bargain for just a thin dime. Everyone at home really enjoyed the sugar cane, but they never appreciated all the suffering I went through to bring it to them!