Sollie's story continued ....#3
When we moved into our last house, my uncle and his family lived on the other side. It was an old house but like a duplex in that it had two front doors and two back doors and two kitchens. Three rooms each side. It was covered with brown siding, probably asphalt, made to look kind of like brick. There was a front porch with a large China Berry tree that shaded the yard which was part dirt and part grass. The grass part was near the Highway. USA #80 that runs from Savannah to California, I suppose.
In the back was a porch, dirt yard, and large trees and the well. To the left of the house, was a shed and outhouse. There was a well dug into the ground - no concrete or anything on the sides. Just clay dirt all the way down. Around the well and for about two feet above the hole was a "fence" to keep anyone from falling in accidentally. Momma would draw water for household cleaning and cooking and drinking.
After we had been there a while, Daddy noticed that it wasn't filling up like it should and decided it needed cleaning out. He said somebody was gonna have to go down the rope and clean out the bottom, so the water would come up. That would be me.
Daddy and my Uncle lowered me with one foot in the bucket holding on strongly to the rope down the well. Bucket by bucket I shoveled the sand and silt from the floor of the well and sure enough the water started coming through clear and clean again. I was probably 12 years old at this time. I felt so good every time I did something important like that. I constantly was taking something apart and putting it back together again or repairing something around the house for Momma. She and Daddy didn't make a big deal out of things I would do. It was just the way it worked. It was sort of like expected I could do things that today you wouldn't think of having a child do.
I hated it when it came time to go back to school after Christmas holidays when everybody would get a chance to tell what they got for Christmas. I would make up something or just not say anything, too embarrassed to say I got nothing.
One year, after I started working my job, a school friend, Henry C. got a beautiful new bicycle. It was the best looking thing I had ever seen! I asked my Daddy to buy me one, but he said he couldn't afford it. Since I now had a job, I decided I was going to buy me a bicycle. I went to the Western Auto Store in town and there was only one bicycle there. It was absolutely the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I asked the owner of the store the price and told him I could pay weekly if he would sell it to me. $75 - SOLD! I'll never forget him allowing me to ride that bicycle out of that store home! The top of the line, it had a green panel with a gold pin stripes, and in the middle were the words "Schwinn" written on it. There were chrome fenders and wheels, white side wall tires, a battery operated headlight, a horn, a rack on the back for my books, and a basket. I didn't like the basket, so I took it off. Every day from then on, I rode that bike to school with my brother hanging on the back rack holding his legs out, and when we got home in the afternoon, I'd get me a rag and wash and polish it till it gleamed.
I had never had a watch before, so pretty soon, I took my chances at Stewart's Jewelry. I looked at the beautiful watches on display in the glass cases and Mr. Stewart said, "let me show you one that just came in. I'm not sure I'll get another like it." It was perfect. I gave him the same pitch about paying weekly, and I walked out of the store with my first wrist watch! $25! I was on my way!
I knew if I wanted a bicycle and watch, the only way I was going to get one would be to earn money and pay for it. I wouldn't be given one. These two kind men took a chance on a young boy who needed a start in life. I paid weekly until both the bicycle and wrist watch were paid for. I had earned their trust.
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