My dad spoiled me rotten. Not in material things, we had very few of those in a family of cotton mill hands. He rather indulged me in a level of trust and freedom that today's kids cannot even imagine. I was given a real knife on my fourth birthday and according to my mother was free to carry it and use it. At age eight I inherited my grandfather's Iver Johnson single shot 12 gauge (yes, I was a big kid and could handle it) and was permitted to roam unattended with it, also. I never got in trouble with either knife or gun.
Dad was removed from school in the eighth grade, in the middle of the Great Depression, to work as a field hand to help feed his family. As a young man he resolved three things:
- His children would always have plenty to eat.
- His children would have a real childhood, not be forced to grow up too soon like he had to.
- His children would complete their education.
As a result:
- I and my sister were fat kids, a fact he took pride in.
- I was permitted to roam the fields and woods at will.
- He and my mom raised two valedictorians.
Somewhere I had procured an old boy scout sheath knife, and I broke the tip off it while throwing it. He took it to the cotton mill and reground the point, and in the process created a perfect semi-skinner blade, years before such was invented and named. I used that knife for years, dressing and skinning innumerable squirrel, rabbits, and a couple of deer with it. I used it until the leather washers all fell off the handle. I wish that I still had it today.
I have been looking at a knife, the 95MP, on Ruana's web site for quite some time, as the picture is remarkably similar to the blade my dad ground. And I stumbled across one at Blade this year. As soon as I picked it up, I knew I had to have it, because except for the absence of the leather washer handle, it was uncannily close to the feel and size of my old knife. So I made a rare, for me, non-Busse purchase at Blade.
It now resides on the bookcase next to my PC. It's function in life for now is to be fondled often and to bring back memories, although if my ABA LE and my AD will forgive me I will have to take it hunting now and again.
I hope and pray that my kids will have such good memories of me. I have tried to make it so. My dad's memory deserves no less.
Dad was removed from school in the eighth grade, in the middle of the Great Depression, to work as a field hand to help feed his family. As a young man he resolved three things:
- His children would always have plenty to eat.
- His children would have a real childhood, not be forced to grow up too soon like he had to.
- His children would complete their education.
As a result:
- I and my sister were fat kids, a fact he took pride in.
- I was permitted to roam the fields and woods at will.
- He and my mom raised two valedictorians.
Somewhere I had procured an old boy scout sheath knife, and I broke the tip off it while throwing it. He took it to the cotton mill and reground the point, and in the process created a perfect semi-skinner blade, years before such was invented and named. I used that knife for years, dressing and skinning innumerable squirrel, rabbits, and a couple of deer with it. I used it until the leather washers all fell off the handle. I wish that I still had it today.
I have been looking at a knife, the 95MP, on Ruana's web site for quite some time, as the picture is remarkably similar to the blade my dad ground. And I stumbled across one at Blade this year. As soon as I picked it up, I knew I had to have it, because except for the absence of the leather washer handle, it was uncannily close to the feel and size of my old knife. So I made a rare, for me, non-Busse purchase at Blade.
It now resides on the bookcase next to my PC. It's function in life for now is to be fondled often and to bring back memories, although if my ABA LE and my AD will forgive me I will have to take it hunting now and again.
I hope and pray that my kids will have such good memories of me. I have tried to make it so. My dad's memory deserves no less.
If I had only lisened to my parents more I would have done better in school
