Thursday, October 12, 2017
Strange Things Hanging On A Family Tree...
By: Donovan Baldwin
Some of us have strange things hanging on our family tree.
This thing in the picture is one of mine.
It's a blackjack, or "cosh". It's made of leather, has a spring handle to enhance the effect, and a weight in the end. Its purpose is knocking people in the head.
It's okay, my great uncle on my father's side, Appleton Calhoun 1867-1926 (hence my middle name 'Appleton') was a security guard, I believe for the railroad.
There's a chance that he used this well-worn little head knocker to convince tramps and hobos (different people) NOT to try to get a free ride in a railway car.
I used to have his gun too, a .32 Smith & Wesson Model 2, but, lost that to medical bills for my daughter many years ago.
It's a nasty little thing, but, still, when I uncovered this in a tub in the garage this morning, I was happy. It's my only link back to that side of the family, and it was nice to know I hadn't lost it...despite the injuries it may have caused in the past.
That's one thing about links to the past.
The past may not have always been that great, but, it was real. We cannot overlook the reality or turn our backs on it.
Pretending it was something it was not, ignoring what it really was, is re-writing history to make yourself feel better.
I'll just forgive my family for being who they were at that time, and not condemn them because they aren't what I want them to be now.
Hope you'll do the same for me. I will if you will.
This thing in the picture is one of mine.
It's a blackjack, or "cosh". It's made of leather, has a spring handle to enhance the effect, and a weight in the end. Its purpose is knocking people in the head.
It's okay, my great uncle on my father's side, Appleton Calhoun 1867-1926 (hence my middle name 'Appleton') was a security guard, I believe for the railroad.
There's a chance that he used this well-worn little head knocker to convince tramps and hobos (different people) NOT to try to get a free ride in a railway car.
I used to have his gun too, a .32 Smith & Wesson Model 2, but, lost that to medical bills for my daughter many years ago.
It's a nasty little thing, but, still, when I uncovered this in a tub in the garage this morning, I was happy. It's my only link back to that side of the family, and it was nice to know I hadn't lost it...despite the injuries it may have caused in the past.
That's one thing about links to the past.
The past may not have always been that great, but, it was real. We cannot overlook the reality or turn our backs on it.
Pretending it was something it was not, ignoring what it really was, is re-writing history to make yourself feel better.
I'll just forgive my family for being who they were at that time, and not condemn them because they aren't what I want them to be now.
Hope you'll do the same for me. I will if you will.
Labels: Appleton Calhoun, blackjack, cosh, donovan baldwin, family tree, hobos, railroad, tramps
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
The Danger Of Not Knowing Where You Want To Go
By: Donovan Baldwin
Recently, I told a story elsewhere about myself, as a young soldier, on a train in Germany in the 1960's.
I made a mistake, got off at the wrong spot, but got back on in time. Two other young soldiers were not as lucky.
They were headed to Augsburg.
Unlike me, they did not speak any German.
They kept reading their orders, and repeating the word "Augsburg", reading every sign, seeking that word.
Suddenly, as the train stopped at a station, one grabbed the other's arm, said urgently, "This is it!", and they both jumped off the train just as it began to leave the station.
I knew we were not anywhere near Augsburg but, could not get to them in time to stop them.
As the train pulled out, I saw the sign the young soldier had seen. It said "Ausgang", which means "Exit", in German.
So, they exited into a strange place, stranger even than Augsburg, simply because it wasn't...Augsburg, that is.
I am sure they got where they were going eventually.
Many of us go through life so intent on getting somewhere, achieving something, focused so intently on our goal, that we overlook, or misread, the signs and symbols we really need to be looking for.
"A little learning is a dangerous thing." So's a lot of learning, if we apply it incorrectly.
Perhaps NOT knowing what we really want, and where we want to go, takes us to the wrong destination. When you're not really aware of those two things, you can get off a lot of wrong "exits", or "Ausgangs".
I made a mistake, got off at the wrong spot, but got back on in time. Two other young soldiers were not as lucky.
They were headed to Augsburg.
Unlike me, they did not speak any German.
They kept reading their orders, and repeating the word "Augsburg", reading every sign, seeking that word.
Suddenly, as the train stopped at a station, one grabbed the other's arm, said urgently, "This is it!", and they both jumped off the train just as it began to leave the station.
I knew we were not anywhere near Augsburg but, could not get to them in time to stop them.
As the train pulled out, I saw the sign the young soldier had seen. It said "Ausgang", which means "Exit", in German.
So, they exited into a strange place, stranger even than Augsburg, simply because it wasn't...Augsburg, that is.
I am sure they got where they were going eventually.
Many of us go through life so intent on getting somewhere, achieving something, focused so intently on our goal, that we overlook, or misread, the signs and symbols we really need to be looking for.
"A little learning is a dangerous thing." So's a lot of learning, if we apply it incorrectly.
Perhaps NOT knowing what we really want, and where we want to go, takes us to the wrong destination. When you're not really aware of those two things, you can get off a lot of wrong "exits", or "Ausgangs".
Labels: Augsburg, Ausgang, destination, donovan baldwin, Germany, railroad, soldiers, travel
