Graduate of Bergton Elementary (Class of ’65)
Randy’s Ramblings
I had a lot of trouble trying to find a topic for my article this month. There were a few ideas bouncing around in my head but nothing that I could get settled on. “She who shall not be named” suggested writing about the little red wagon I got for Christmas. As she well knows, I didn’t get a little red wagon for Christmas. Nor did I get an “official Red Ryder carbine action, 200 shot range model air rifle, with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time” (“You’ll shoot your eye out”). At least I don’t think so? But it did call to mind another present I got for Christmas a long time ago. My first gun, a .22 rifle!
My memory is a little fuzzy but I’m sure I made my request known to my uncle Dewey well before Christmas. Even though I knew I was getting the gun, it didn’t dampen the excitement of opening the long, brightly wrapped package on Christmas morning. I would have been in my early teens. At that time, it was common to order guns from the Sears & Roebuck catalogue. It was a Marlin, clip fed, bolt action rifle, with open sights, and a very nice walnut Monte Carlo stock. A great present, and I couldn’t wait to get it in the woods.
Any hunting rifle needs a scope, so I eventually added one to complete the package. A good rifle scope works much better than a cheap .22 scope for hunting. A rifle scope has a clearer and much bigger field of view, and with duplex cross hairs works well for hunting squirrels. I spent a lot of time in the woods with that gun in my early years. I don’t remember doing much hunting prior to that, other than roaming around with my BB gun.
Once squirrel hunting season arrived, on Saturday mornings, I would get up early and head for Fallbush mountain. At the base of the mountain was a large grove of hickory trees that were usually teaming with squirrels. It took a little while to get there, but after climbing the steep hill behind our house, and crossing a woven wire fence, I knew the easiest and fastest way through the low ridges and hollows to that yellow grove of hickories. At first, I was happy to bring home a squirrel or two for my effort. It took a little while to get the hang of it, but not too many seasons passed until I could consistently bring home my limit of six.
Thinking back, those were good times. I would roam from our house to the West Virginia line on top of Fallbush mountain and everywhere in between. Occasionally I’d make the climb to Buzzard Rock and look down into Cullers Run. You won’t find Buzzard Rock on any map but if you did it would be very near the point of the northernmost part of Rockingham County. During those excursions I never gave much thought about property lines. No one seems to mind a teenager running around on their property carrying a gun.
So…, I was given a quality firearm, a great present with sentimental value, and what did I do?? I sold it!! What possessed me to sell that gun is beyond me! I must have been dropped on my head as a child! I regret it to this day!
Maybe there was a gun under the tree on one of your Christmas mornings! I hope you were smarter than me and still have it hanging on your wall!
Have a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!
R.D. Cullers
Graduate of Bergton Elementary (Class of ’65)
