Small Town News

Thank goodness it was a raccoon

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Memories and Tales

The lights came and the booper went off; the dispatcher said,"213 assist Acres Home VFD at 5:13 West Little York Road and Ella Boulevard, 12:31 a.m." We were riding with a skeleton crew; Blue was off, I was in charge with Railsback driving the pumper and Lloyd Damrell was the Third Man. As we pulled out of the station, we could see the red glow in the sky. The location was outside the city limits, and just about three miles away I told Railsback,"There is no water out there, just get us there and we will see what we can do."

Acres Home made a good stop on the fire, and we pulled off the booster line to help them mop up hot spots. The building was pretty well gutted, and it had been a Honky Tonk. I got a flashlight and went inside looking for hot spots. Let me stop and say that this was in the late 60s, and I had not been "saved" yet. I went behind the bar, looking for some contraband. I found some cheap wine and some sorry blended whiskey but didn't want any of that stuff. I found a closed cabinet under the 'par and in it was an unopened bottle of Jack Daniels, I made a quick trip to the pumper!

Going back inside, I continued my search for hot spots. Suddenly. I saw something that shook my insides. On the bar slightly covered with pieces of sheetrock was a little hand. Uncovering some more, I saw another hand and a little black foot. I thought,"Oh, my God," and then got sick and weak; there was no head! I rush outside and told Railsback,"Call the Sheriff's Department there's a dead baby in there." There happened to be a deputy already at the scene, and he went back in with me. He looked and said,"Don't move the body, just clean the trash off of it." When we removed all the trash from around the body, I looked again and said,"Wait a minute! Look at this body good; look at those feet, that's a coon."

Sure enough, my "dead baby" was a big old raccoon that they were getting ready to barbecue just before the fire started.

Well, you never know what is going to happen next when you are in the Fire Service.

Clayton "Buddy" Hazell was born almost 80 years ago. at home, in a small Texas town. He has been in Malakoff since 1973 and is recently retired as pastor of Parkview Baptist Church. His column is excerpted from his book. "Memories, Tales and Special Events of My Life." If you are interested in a copy of the book (there's now a Vol. 2), contact The Malakoff News at 903-489-0531.



Copyright 2011 The Malakoff News, Malakoff, Texas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2011 The Malakoff News Malakoff, Texas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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