"Butch Davis" wrote in message
link.net...
In 1943 When I was three years old my Dad was stationed at then Camp
Rucker, AL. We lived in Elba, AL very close to a river.

My Dad was a keen fisherman but had no boat, so he built one. It was very
small but the aft portion would just fit into the very deep trunk of his
1942 Mercury. The bow stuck out several feet.

The boat construction was canvas on rib and frame like many aircraft of
the time. Dad built the frame and some soldiers at Rucker did the canvas
and dope part. Dad also made some very nice little "duck boards" to fit
in the bottom to support a person's weight, tackle boxes, etc.

He took me on the maiden voyage. Power was a canoe paddle or two.

While skimming around on the river we passed under a tree and suddenly had
an uninvited guest; a big old cottonmouth. Dad's first reaction was to
beat it to death with the paddle but soon gave up thet idea due to the
potential of punturing the canvas. He grabbed me by an arm and was
holding me in the air while trying to get the paddle under the smake and
keep it from getting beneath the duck boards.

We were on the verge of abandoning ship when the cottonmouth decided to
cooperate by attacking the paddle which permitted Dad to flip it
overboard.

I don't think I've ever seem my Father so angry and frightened. Of
course, I just thought it was great fun except for a sore arm. My Dad had
my arm in a death grip for what seemed like a long time. Whole incident
probably lasted 30 seconds or so.

Butch
wrote in message
ups.com...
Thats what we accuse them of now.
Another time, it had to be about 1962 when I was 6, they took us to
Jacksonville, Fl beach DURING A HURRICANE. We stood about a block from
the beach watching the waves washing against a 3 story hotel tearing
out huge concrete chunks. Now my parents are in their upper 80s, and I
recently asked thekm about this incident and my mother replied "I just
cant remember, i am too old" . Of course we all know thats BS. With 9
kids, entertainment is either free or nonexistent and that was free.




I worked with a guy from the south. He related the story of a Northern
Cousin visiting, and they are out in the jon boat, and he sees something in
an overhead tree, and before anyone can stop him, he waps the branch with a
paddle. Shortly thereafter is about 5 snakes in the boat. They did stop
him from shooting the snakes with the 22. They flipped the snakes out of
the boat, and though about sending cousin after the snakes.