“What did you do in Missouri as a young boy,
Ken?” He pondered the question a few moments and eased into the story. “Well,
mostly we worked. We were really out in the country, the hills, and we were a
long way from anywhere in those days.
“The mountain people around Big Piney,
Missouri were a rough & ready bunch. Most of them lived on tiny farms
tucked away back among the hills. Big Piney—the main town—consisted of a
general store, church, blacksmith shop, school, and four to five houses.
Everyone put in long weeks, but on Sundays most everyone would walk or ride
into town on a horse or in a wagon for a little socializing. Here’s what
typically happened: The men played marbles and the women had tobacco-spitting
contests! This is what went on.
“There was a level spot in the dirt road in
front of the general store. The men would smooth it out with their feet, lay
down on their stomachs, and spend the afternoon shooting marbles. Great fun. I
remember the scene very well. At eight or nine, I was too young to be a player,
but me and the other boys from the area still had a good time, watching and
running around. And wait till you hear this.
“The women of the Big Piney area gathered
down the road from the general store. They had their own Sunday contest. They
would draw a line in the dirt and stand behind it. Then, one at a time, they
would walk up to the line and, with great concentration, spit a shot of tobacco
juice as far as they could! The winner was the lady who cold spit the
farthest.”
“Was your mother ever a participant,
Ken?” "Never in this world," was his reply.
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