Quills & Teeth

As a young man living in Roosevelt, Utah I was actively involved, along with my whole family in the culture, activities and practices of the predominantly Latter-day Saint community where we lived. Our family had moved to Utah from Arizona when I was only a few months old. A primary reason for the move was the fact of the three oldest children in our family (Irene, LaVerne, & Beverly) were quickly reaching marriageable age. Clay Springs, where we came from, was a small community in eastern Arizona and most of the families there were related to us and many of them were close relatives. There was enough of a concern about interrelated marriage and relationships to prompt a move. Once decided it took a couple of attempts until a final destination was decided upon and carried out. The Family first moved to Fredonia in Northern AZ in the fall of 1956 where dad tried to make a deal on a ranch near there. This was another small community with closely held relationships and close local attachments which proved to be an obstacle. There was enough resistance to making a deal on the ranch with a family from out of town to squash the hope of our securing the desired place there and the proposed deal fell through. Dad and Mom then searched around more and looked further north where they considered buying a dairy farm near Springville, Utah but after weighing the pros and cons, taking into account the completely full time commitment of running a dairy, and being concerned about being available to “Serve the Lord” the folks rejected the dairy idea and decided upon the home and 72 acre farm west of Roosevelt, Utah on Highway 40.

Growing up on a farm there was always plenty of work to be done but keeping kids busy doing what should be done was itself a tremendous task and an uphill battle which never ends. Dad did not like to see us kids wasting time after school watching TV. He tried to teach us by explaining that those people on the TV had made their fortunes and absentmindedly watching them was certainly not going to be of much benefit to us. He taught us by example and verbally tried to impress on us the value of getting busy and making our own way. One thing I clearly remember is not wanting to be found idle in the house when dad returned home from work. We had a large picture window in the living room at the front of our home and when Dad or sometimes Dad and Mom would turn into our driveway the TV or record player would quickly go off and those of us who had been wasting daylight would try to slip out unnoticed to get busy working on our chores. Now when I think of it, our hasty exit from the house when the folks came home at chore time must have looked something like cockroaches disappearing from an infested area when a light comes on. When the weather was pleasant we might not be wasting time in the house but could often be goofing off somewhere else on the farm or neighboring areas. One of those places was the swinging tree.

There was a creek running through our place called the Dry Gulch; we always referred to it as “The Gulch”. There was usually not much water running through it but there was always some. At times of heavy rains or snow melt from higher elevations the Gulch could run very fast and high. Where the creek made a bend along its path next to our farm there was a place we called the “Sand” where, in ages long past, the creek had deposited a nice beach like area which we would enjoy using for a playground.  At the Sand we could dig pits, bury each other, hunt for scorpions to torture by depositing then into a stirred up ant hill, practice long and high jumping and try anything else which might be done in a great sandpit. There at the edge of the creek at the edge of the Sand was a nice Cottonwood tree with branches hanging over the creek and we tied a rope to a large branch hanging over the water and would use it as a swinging rope. On occasion with weather conditions permitting we would drop into the water below to cool off.

Once when Forrest, Marty and I were down at the swinging tree we came across an unfortunate porcupine. The pitiable creature was not able to travel fast or climb high enough to escape our curious and tortuous efforts to chase, prod, study, and capture. I believe we were between the ages of 9 -12 and thought this interesting creature was our prize to be exploited. Although we had never before encountered one of these interesting mammals, we were naturally careful and seemed to understand the requisite nature of maintaining some distance. Our inquisitive nature caused this porcupine to climb out on a limb of our swinging tree until he was out over the water. A rake was secured from home and Forrest climbed up the tree and followed the newest object of our nature studies and by using the rake he forced it out onto the furthest reaches of the tree limbs until our victim was obliged to drop into the creek. This was a triumphant moment for we now thought it was possible to corral him and force him into a wire cage which had also been obtained for the occasion. Having accomplished his design to get the porcupine out of the tree, Forrest threw down the rake and started to come back down the tree. Meanwhile, the porcupine was not at all happy in the water and as quickly as a porcupine can he scrambled back up the bank of the creek and headed for the nearest tree which happened to be the same tree he was just forced out of. When Forrest looked around behind him, to see where he was going, he found the porcupine coming right up the same tree and then out on the same branch where he had been before and where Forrest was currently attempting to descend. Now Forrest was without the rake or anything else with which to keep distance between himself and the porcupine seeking to escape harassment from Marty and I at the base of the tree.  Forrest saw the distance closing and was then the one being compelled to give ground or in this case give tree trunk then branches until he retreated out to the slightest of limbs and twigs on the branch. There were other trees in the area and numerous other branches on this tree but the porcupine seemed to seek out and as if on a mission of retribution, he chose the same branch where he had been before. The next thing to come out of the tree and hit the water was Forrest.

After additional wildlife harassment and wrangling, the porcupine was caged and used as a quill harvesting venue; which quills had some market among fellow curious students at school. The quill business was ended a couple of days later when the porcupine mysteriously managed to “get away”. There is no doubt that Dad was an accessory to the escape. This was not the only time wildlife was aided in achieving freedom after being captivated by one of us boys.

Fast Offerings were contributions given by church members, usually associated with the once a month Fast by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which Fast was abstaining from food and water for a couple of meals or 24 hours and then contributing an offering to help provide for the needy and poor. In turn, those who received assistance were asked to contribute their time and talents to provide some kind of service to others. This provided a source of assistance where needed and was able to be allocated by the Ward Bishop without the receivers feeling like they were “On Welfare”.  Young men who were ordained to the Aaronic or preparatory Priesthood were assigned a group of homes to visit to receive fast contributions. Usually the fast offerings were gathered by car and the young men could be driven by a parent or an older priesthood holder. On some fast days when the climate was favorable the gatherers could walk or ride their bicycles. A couple of times I saddled our horse Chester and rode around to some neighbors to get in a little horse riding while completing my Fast Offering assignment. Horse Riding was not a regular Sabbath activity but I rationalized it must be appropriate as long as I was engaged in Church business.

Another time Forrest had a close encounter with wild life was on a Sunday afternoon when he was out doing his duty, as an emissary for the Bishop, gathering Fast Offerings. His route consisted of several homes within a couple of miles from home and he was walking along a mostly gravel and dusty road we called the Powerline road. One part of this road had a surface consisting of 2” to 4” cobblestones which were partially buried and made for a bumpy ride while driving over it and an unstable surface while walking over it. During his trek he looked up ahead and saw a badger come out into the open and continue down the road away from him. Not wanting this varmint or what he now considered his prey to get away from him, Forrest looked about and found a large rock and ran up behind this badger and lifting the rock over his head and then exerting considerable energy he cast it down on the badgers head. What happened next was not expected nor was Forrest prepared for it. The badger reversed his course seemingly turning himself around inside his loose hide and came directly on a frontal attack, charging Forrest as fast as a badger with a headache and a score to settle can lope. With the roles of prey and predator now reversed and Forrest freshly unarmed, he attempted a quick retreat. Stepping backwards as fast as he could in his startled state and trying to keep his eyes on the aggressor, he caught the heal of a shoe on the uneven surface of the road and found himself on his backside and on the same level as a fast approaching snarling badger; which had an attitude of reprisal. With this ferocious beast hissing and exposing his teeth now at his feet and Forrest on his back the only thing to be done was a hasty crab-walk backwards while keeping his eyes on the badger. In the moments that followed the badger gained considerable ground closing the distance between itself and Forrest’s crotch. It seemed for a terrifying instant being eaten alive starting with his “essentials” was an imminent possibility. Making use of every possible muscle to keep from being eaten and without a doubt sending a petition for help toward Heaven, Forrest kept up his crab-walk as quickly as he could flee and then when defeat seemed imminent, the badger broke off his pursuit. After a seemingly safe distance was achieved, Forrest gained his upright position and keeping a respectable distance he gathered up his Fast Offering envelopes and then leaving the badger to his own business, Forrest carried on. Now breathing a little easier but still shaken by this close encounter with humiliation and death he finished his route while counting his blessings.