A story from my dad about his youth.
When I was really little, 3 years old I remember hearing my dad get up and head to work, it was probably, 5-6 AM. It was summer time and the sun was up pretty early, well before my mom or most folks got up and faced the day. I remember, always lying there in my bed thinking, boy, these days sure do offer a lot of good light to go out and get stuff done, if I had the means, I could have a job later me my dad, I could go out and earn a lining every day, I wouldn’t be afraid to work hard, I’d go do my job.
Well, I was only 3, and I didn’t have a job, but, when dad would leave and head to the hills for his job, I wanted a job too. We had a pretty fair amount of chickens, a few cows, some horses, and quite a few hogs. I remember thinking, what can I do to earn my keep?
Chasing chickens!!! That became my job, with Clutz, my best friend, stepmom, cow dog and companion. We had a pretty rough rooster in our coop, and he made life rougher on us and his fellow chickens than he needed to. So, he had to go!! Clutz and I went out each morning over the next several days and patterned the old rooster and when we had his behavior dialed, we bushwacked him and took him out. Old Clutz came in from one side under the pig house and I came in from the other side with a hefty switch. I walked and hit that rooster until it had enough, and was willing to go out of Clutz’s direction. She finished him off and we headed back home once he’d been killed.
That was my first aggressive hunt with my best friend, my dog Clutz…I was 3 years old, she was a good friend and guardian to me…….
Housed and Fed 