Grandpa John, no doubt telling Cindy and me one of his stories |
Here's one of Grandpa John's favorite yarns. Grandpa lived with us, off and on, while I was growing up, and I recall hearing this one more times than I can count!
One day, Grandpa John was riding across the Kansas prairie when his horse stumbled into a large dry well. He and the horse plunged to the bottom of the well and were unable to get out.To hear Grandpa John tell it, it sounds completely plausible!
After a couple of days, the horse died and Grandpa, of course, was worried that his time on this earth was also nearly at end. Pretty soon, the buzzards started gathering and circling the well.
When the buzzards began descending into the well to eat the flesh off of the dead horse, Grandpa had a flash of brilliance. He decided he would leap up and grab each buzzard, in turn, by their legs. He then hitched a saddle strap to each buzzard until there were enough buzzards attached to his saddle that the large, frantic birds simply hoisted both the saddle and Grandpa out of
the well.
...believed it for many years! My favorite memory was when he taught me how to tie the knot he used. He called it a 'rope trick' to get me interested...you lay one hand facing up, one down w/rope trapped in your thumbs and twist. I was probably 7 at the time. The 'trick' intrigues me to this day...so simple yet so effective. Grandpa John was way more interesting than anyone I know now! Deadpan story teller...some of his 'truths' are stranger than fiction!
ReplyDeleteI love it!!
ReplyDeleteGreat story!
ReplyDeleteWe've a Grandpa John in our family, too. What a joy. Great picture. Great story.
ReplyDeleteThanks to all of you! I'm full of stories about Grandpa John. He was one of a kind! That whole side of the family is full of characters.
ReplyDeleteVikki, I forgot all about the "rope trick"!! Thanks for reminding me. =)
What a wonderful guy he must have been - I'd have believed his stories.
ReplyDelete