Adventure 426: The Story of George, 3

January 21, 2018

Real time yesterday morning was a surprise. When Judy and I got to Harvard Park a little after seven, George was already dressed sitting in the main living room waiting for Vina. He looked fresh, was dressed sharp, and he was alert. We said, "Wow! and when Vina came down, they headed off for breakfast while we headed to church. Lunchtime was a bit more subdued. He was asleep at noon; I didn't rouse him. He got up about three; we watched the football game, but his involvement was merely as a presence. He dosed off and on, but went to dinner, ate well, and he and Vina were just setting up dominoes as we left. So, he's trying to reach normal, but he's still extremely low on vigor.

George and Rich and Grandma drank a few more at home until, at some point, the guys had to get back home. They decided to hide the case of beer they bought for the road inside the engine department in case they were stopped. They were, because even as George often claimed, "We are good people, so we follow laws; besides it don't pay to get caught." That day, the effects of the evil demon, alcohol, took over. They were pulled over. The funny thing is that the first place the police officer looked when he reached the car for booze was the engine compartment. Maybe that's when George learned that it doesn't pay to flaunt the law.

In truth, George and Rich were only minor delinquents, but they'd made enough bad decisions to develop suspicion. For example, before George left for the Navy, while he was still in high school, he and Rich used to siphon gas out of their neighbor's farm machinery to fill Rich's motorcycle tank. Marie had several hundred acres, which made the Williams' five acres look puny, but George Esher Williams Senior, George Jr's dad, was a hard working man with a gift for small plot farming. He kept a couple cows, a flock of chickens, grew a little alfalfa, maintained several fruit trees, a couple of nut trees, and he managed an incredibly large garden. Of course, the kids helped. The family tree flowed from George E. Williams, Sr. and Rosa Williams to six kids: Betty, Bob, Rich, George, Jr. Roger, and Jim. Everybody had jobs, and both George Sr. and Rosa worked outside the home. George, Sr. worked at a sawmill in his early years, but eventually caught on with the railroad, and spent most of his working life as a fireman for the Sante Fe. Rosa was a nurse at the hospital. Anyway, back to Marie Howard. She was a prissy lady who thought quite a bit of herself. I guess that's how George and Rich justified stealing her gas. They never got caught.

Not getting caught by George, Sr. was entirely another matter. One time George decided to take the family car out for a joy ride. George always liked cars, and he thought, "Dad will never know, and besides, he won't be back from his run up to Headquarters until tomorrow. Mom's at work. Who will know? So, he took the car out, sped around the area, and 
altogether had a good time. He carefully replaced the gas to its starting level and eased the car back into the garage. He didn't quite get it back in the exact position George, Sr. had left it. Serious repercussions followed for George, Jr. At sixteen, George was still of an age to be beaten with the razor strap. He took several licks, but he grinned every time he looked at the family car. You see, George, Sr. liked cars, too, and his was a  brand new sleek, four door, standard black Ford sedan. George, Sr. never had a car older than two years. He made a life time habit of trading in his car for a new model every year. It's easy to see why George, Jr. may have been so tempted.

George and Vina heading to breakfast.

George's 1935 Ford Coupe Convertible with Rumble Seat.