Well, he wasn't a ranch dog pard ... err ... I mean your honor

[Older Whiskey]

I probably should heed the words of one of my Grandpa's and let dead dogs lie, but being old and out of fresh stories, I am posting this literary gem from the past.

From my collection of ranch stories

Dust in the Wind

Back in BC

Back in the 1970s, while waiting for a range fence job to be approved up the mountain from my place, I took a job painting a house for an old couple in town.

Anyway, as I am painting away, happy as can be, I see a car pull up. A very short guy (about the size of Danny DeVito) in a suit gets out with a briefcase, opens the gate to the neighbor's yard, walks in, and halfway down the walk is suddenly rushed by a yapping Dachshund. He starts backing up and the dog rushes him, leaps up, and bites him in the crotch, and the dog's teeth get hung up on the guy's pants fly. The guy starts yelling and beating the dog with his briefcase, finally knocking the little yapper off. The dog staggers around and finally takes off yapping at a very high pitch.

A very heavy unkempt lady comes out and starts cussing at the guy who quickly retreats to his car and takes off. The police arrive and question me as to what I saw. I tell them my story and give them my contact info, then I go back to painting.

A few days later I am served with a summons to appear in small claims court. The lady was suing the salesman for the vet bill (checking the dog over) (the dog was found to be uninjured) and the salesman was countersuing for damage to his expensive pants. The judge back then, Old Earl, had no sense of humor and didn't care much for young, unmarried, independent, working ranch women, one such as myself.

After I told the court what I saw, referring to the dog as a small dog, the judge said to me in a gruff sarcastic tone, " Well if it isn't too much trouble or inconvenience for you young lady, tell us what breed of dog you saw attack the salesman?"

"Well I am no expert on dog breeds," I said sweetly, "but I am guessing it was a Weiner dog."

BAM BAM BAM went the gavel and I was scolded and threatened by old Earl to never disrespect his court like that, ever again.

Footnote: Months later, I was given a ticket for running the stop sign where Sutton Creek Road meets old Hwy 30, just below the freeway. (Correction: Where Old HWY 30 meets HWY 30 just off the freeway.) I was innocent and took it to court. Despite my having a witness, Old Earl found me guilty and increased the fine. It was then I knew it wasn't financially responsible to be a comedian in a court of law.

 

[webfoot]

Who in there right mind would run the stop sign coming off Sutton Creek Road. You could see cars coming from the left before you got there. But to see cars from the right you have to really turn your head hard to that side.

 

[Older Whiskey]

Who in there right mind would run the stop sign coming off Sutton Creek Road. You could see cars coming from the left before you got there. But to see cars from the right you have to really turn your head hard to that side.

Strike Sutton Creek. I was confused. This was where Old Hwy 30 joined what was called just HWY 30 and was the HWY that went into BC and became Dewey St. then connected with main street just past Lew Brothers.

The stop sign was 15 feet behind the gravel covered line. I had never seen the line as it was always gravel covered back then. I always stopped behind the stop sign as is state law unless another spot is clearly indicated. The trooper was coming off the freeway and saw me moving past the stop sign, but crossing the gravel covered line.

Sutton Creek was where a long truck I was driving died across the railroad tracks. After several attempts to start failed and I heard the train whistle, I put the truck in first gear and used the starter to crank it off the tracks as the train passed about two feet behind me. Sutton creek road being parallel to the tracks back then, then a sharp bend to cross the tracks, could really be a challenge in a manual tranny when it is icy. It was easy to slide backwards is over a fairly steep embankment.

 

[webfoot]

Strike Sutton Creek. I was confused. This was where Old Hwy 30 joined what was called just HWY 30 and was the HWY that went into BC and became Dewey St. then connected with main street just past Lew Brothers.

The stop sign was 15 feet behind the gravel covered line. I had never seen the line as it was always gravel covered back then. I always stopped behind the stop sign as is state law unless another spot is clearly indicated. The trooper was coming off the freeway and saw me moving past the stop sign, but crossing the gravel covered line.

Sutton Creek was where a long truck I was driving died across the railroad tracks. After several attempts to start failed and I heard the train whistle, I put the truck in first gear and used the starter to crank it off the tracks as the train passed about two feet behind me. Sutton creek road being parallel to the tracks back then, then a sharp bend to cross the tracks, could really be a challenge in a manual tranny when it is icy. It was easy to slide backwards is over a fairly steep embankment.

Ok. As I drove into town this morning going by Sutton Creek I thought. A. Which cop in Baker county would write a ticket for running a stop sign in rural Baker county. And B. How unlucky are you to even have a cop in the area of Hwy 30 and Sutton Creek. I don't think I have ever seen a cop on Hwy 30 between the freeway under pass at the top of the hill and the intersection where you got your ticket.

 

[Older Whiskey]

Ok. As I drove into town this morning going by Sutton Creek I thought. A. Which cop in Baker county would write a ticket for running a stop sign in rural Baker county. And B. How unlucky are you to even have a cop in the area of Hwy 30 and Sutton Creek. I don't think I have ever seen a cop on Hwy 30 between the freeway under pass at the top of the hill and the intersection where you got your ticket.

The HWY 30 exit off the freeway was the one that the State Patrol took headed back to HQ which was located near the graveyard back then. Remember this was 50 years ago and I am old and sometimes get details wrong. I was coming from a ranch on Sutton Creek with a friend that went out there to look at a horse for sale. That is where Sutton Cr RD came into my mind, but had no bearing on my getting the ticket.

Where HWY 30 became Dewey is where Vern and Alice had their Husqvarna shop. I think the name was Elk Creek Enterprises. I remember when he quit Farmers Yamaha/Stihl place and started his first shop across from where the Old Silver Dollar Tavern once stood before it burned. Rumor has it that the owner removed all the silver dollars embedded in the bar counter, before he torched it for the insurance. Since no silver dollars were found in the ashes, I am guessing that might be the truth. The Silver Dollar was slightly up and across the street from the welding place that later became the first location for Powder River squeeze chutes, panels, and gates.

Sorry about the rambling, just trying to exercise my memory to fight off dementia.