I Rode an Eagle !

Grounded!

The year was actually 1959. Back in these days a roll of film might not be developed for months or even years later. Every frame was exposed before the film was sent to the developer. But anyway, getting back to the story, ' Riding an Eagle can be Tough Work!'

Levi Jacket and Levi Jeans!  Shades of  'Rebel Without a Cause' , my best James Dean Impression! Black horn-rimmed glasses? Buddy Holly was still belting out 'That'll Be The Day' on the radio! Riding Eagles was in Style! Some of us got thrown!

I will never forget the day! Two longs and a short rang on the telephone. That was our ring on the telephone line we shared with two other parties. Mom and Dad were out and I answered. It was a cousin who lived in Montana and needed to talk with her Mom or Dad who lived on the other side of town! It was dark and I had just got home from basketball practice. Jumped back on my Eagle and made a mad dash to my aunt and uncles house to relay the message. As strange as it seems? Everyone did not have phones back then!

Should have known that there was a reason that Eagles don't fly in the dark, but I was only fourteen! No excuse! Drove that Eagle straight into the back of a parked plumbing truck just a few doors down from my aunt and uncles! Cost me a couple of months of not being such a 'Cool Cat!'

1959 Cushman Eagle

Used to be that a kid could get a scooter license at fourteen if he could pass a written test. Nothing to it! Left arm straight out-Left turn. Left arm held at a forty five pointing up,Rt. Turn. Left arm down, slowing or stopping! I passed with ease!

I had been working and saving my money for over a year with the hopes of  getting a Cushman Eagle. While still living in El Reno at our home place there, Dad came in one day and told me to get my money because we were headed to Ed's Cushman Shop on Linwood in OKC! Money in hand I was the first one in the truck! The money was not near enough but Dad said he would make up the difference. $395.00 dollars later we had the most beautiful Trojan Red Eagle loaded in his 59 blue Apache Chevy  Pickup, and were headed for home!

Skinny Kid!

In late 1959 Dad choose to move us to Yukon where he built us another home. Nothing like an Eagle to break the  ice of being the new kid in Town!