Page 7 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Summer 2020- Online Magazine
P. 7
to stay away from those ruffians we would go
because I would get in trouble. skinny dipping,
Of course, that is the first thing I and a dog or
did, which did get me in trouble two would
more than once. We would go in join us. When
the back door of the hotel coffee the bus horn
shop where one of the guy’s honked, we
mother worked. She would give knew it was
us apple peelings that came off a time to go.
mechanical apple peeler if she was
making pies. The guy who cussed There are
often came out with an expletive, enough stories
and she would grab him and wash about life in
his mouth out with lye soap. that small town
to fill a book; I
The favorite games of our day guess I need to Luther asked him, “Isn’t your son
included Hide and Seek, Kick the do that. a salesman?” So, I moved back to
Can, Red Rover and Dodgeball. Booker to run a Ford dealership.
Later, it was BB Gun fights or Most of us were involved in We operated for 35 years – didn’t
Roman Candle fights, and nobody the Boy Scout Troop and High get rich but made a living. We
got hurt or an eye put out. Adventure Explorer Post. My shut the doors in 2000 along
senior year, seven Eagle Scouts with 500 other dealers across the
We all got our driver's licenses at were on the football team. We country – just couldn’t generate
fourteen. After Monday night FFA graduated in 1958, and surprise, enough cash flow to pay corporate
meetings, we would play “ditch surprise, we all made good what they wanted.
‘em” on country roads with the citizens.
lights out. It’s a wonder no one In 1967, I saw a newspaper ad that
got killed. College was fun but a disaster for asked, “Would you like to use
me. I attended three colleges but more of your mind? Free Lecture!”
All the boys took Vocational just could not make the grades as I It was to be held in Spearman on
Agriculture, and the girls took had a terrible time concentrating. I Monday evening. Well, I wasn’t
Home Ec. Vo Ag field trips were a could never remember what I had using much of my mind, so I
blast. We learned how to dehorn studied, like I was in a fog. I was decided to attend. That evening
calves and castrate young bulls 35 before I was diagnosed with changed my life. The lecturer was
and pigs. Once we found a jug hyperinsulism (low blood sugar). Jose Silva, an amazing man with a
of home brew in a barn. It tasted When I quit sugar and soft drinks, brain that could change the world.
like crap, but we drank it anyway. life got much better. He taught “Silva Sensor Systems”
Other times, we were in contests which has been taught all over the
of land judging, soil judging and On December 7, 1961, I joined world.
stock judging. These got us out of the Marine Corps and headed to
school for a whole day. MCRD in San Diego in January – At the break, I went outside to
honorably discharged in 1967. have a smoke. A man followed me
The ones in Darouzett were the and introduced himself as Dord
best as there was a creek that ran My dad and his brother opened Fitz. He said he could sense that
through the edge of town. The Lile Brothers Body Shop in 1947. I had artistic ability and that he
day before, we bought those little They quickly got the reputation taught art to hundreds of people
wooden fishing things that had of doing quality work at a fair all over the Panhandles, Southwest
about twelve feet of line, some price. I was doing body work at Kansas and Western Oklahoma.
split shot, a couple of hooks, and a a very early age and thoroughly In 1968, I started lessons with him
wooden bobber. We also got some enjoyed it. They operated together and never looked back. Because
Beech Nut chewing tobacco and for eighteen years. In 1965, Dad of him, I have experienced New
a few rum- soaked crook cigars. purchased the Ford Dealership York City 21 times and spent time
After the judging, ten or fifteen of from Lehman Motor Company. with many famous artists. Our
us would descend on the creek to He told Luther he didn’t know art group traveled extensively to
fish, chew and smoke. Sometimes anything about selling cars, but
Amarillo Senior Link 7
