Page 42 - April 2024 Issue.indd

“Sam, Hill” against Mother Nature to have the pond My solution was simple: I merely had
he wanted, not she. to bring my little pickup truck back
here. Let’s see, hmm, how do I go about
by Bryan Gadow Which brings me to a story.
doing that? I’d once brought another,
I had a teacher once who had moved My parents had, sadly, parted ways. I was larger pickup truck back here and got
here to the coastal plains from her home now the closest thing to the man of the it stuck in the mud above the drainage

in Pennsylvania. She related the story house, and at age 18-20, well, that wasn’t field for the septic tank... Another story

of being given directions, soon after much. There were two projects around for another day. It wasn’t easy having
her relocation: “just turn right aft er the the old homestead that I realized needed to gradually sneak the truck between
hill”. Indeed, she might have driven all attention: 1) potholes had developed in a number of trees in the front yard. It
day and not found what passes for a the driveway out by the road and, 2) that took some backing up and regrouping a
hill in these parts. What we had in our silt/muck was really piling up. I put 31/2 couple times. I did it. I made it. I backed
backyard “back home”? It was good and 3 1/4 together and came up with 6 that S-10 down the hill. I unbolted the
enough for the three Gadow kids. On a 3/4. I never did do things the easy way! cart from the Snapper and, with all my
snowy day, break out the sled and head I more or less knew that that silt/sand energy, drug it over to the bumper. Yep,
out behind the screen house. It would be wouldn’t make a good driveway patch. I all hooked up. You’ve met your match,
a short ride, but a ride nonetheless, and believe at that point I had already heard boy! Jumped in the seat, cranked her up,

with some drama at its end: our pond! my grandfather, the onetime Gravel shifted into drive.

This muddy home to ducks and turtles, Guru of Dorchester County, tell me Nothing. I’m not even sure if it spun

bullfrogs and sunfish, mostly fenced off enough about what made a good pack- a tire! Ah, ‘80s General Motors. Did I

by my nervous father before we were old ing fill for a road bed and what would mention that the ground was dry? Th at
enough to walk. Mostly. Not the most just sort of splash out in the fi rst good the soil on that hill was clay, covered in
rearward portion, at the bottom of our rain. Somehow this did not deter me. crabgrass? The truck wouldn’t budge.
hill. I don’t know that any of us ever skid Parked way in the back was an old, rusty What? Okay...regroup. Guess I have
too far, but certainly it was on my mind. cart. I’m not sure how I got the tires no choice but to drive the truck back
Of course, the pond would freeze in the pumped up enough to roll; probably around front. I should mention here that
dead of winter but I don’t know that the some Fix-a-Flat. I hooked it to the back Mom was in the house and had no idea
ice ever grew thick enough to please of the riding mower and drove it down what I was up to. I’m fairly confident
Pop. Walking on the pond was strictly by the pond, shoveling in a nice little she wouldn’t condone my actions so far
verboten!

mound of gunk. Off I went to the front though she would have been gentle in

That portion of the pond, being fed by a with my first load-won’t Mom be proud! her reprimand. So, I’ll sneak the truck

forest stream, tended to fill up with silt Back to the pond, imagining that I’m back around and figure out Plan C,
and sand, leaves and muck. If one were a dump truck driver headed back for except, even with that cart unhooked...
generous they could call what developed my second big load of the day. I wheel that blasted truck wouldn’t climb that
a “beach” but, uh, no. Every so often that big old Mack into place and they hill!
Dad would shovel this out, working crank up the steam shovel...it scooped, Okay, okay, think, Bryan, you can fi gure
I mean, I scooped a little more on than this out. Okay, got it. You’ll ask Mom if
the first go around. By the third trip I you can borrow her car. Make up some

was growing a bit less patient, or perhaps lame excuse as to why you can’t use
just more bold. I really loaded that little your truck. Drive up to Dad’s shop and
cart up this time. I was making progress get a come-along. And that is what I
and quite pleased with myself. I yanked did. What is a come-along, some may
the starter on that Briggs, hopped in the ask? A simple device, just some heavy
seat...and all that little Snapper would steel cable and a ratchet. With it you can
do was spin tires. I tried myriad angles winch things, for instance, up an incline.
and tricks but, no, it simply wouldn’t Back at the house I attached one end
climb that incline with such a load. Well, around one of the sturdy posts on our
friends, what would you now do?
old screen house, the other end to the
I could have removed some muck, a front of the Chevrolet. I started tighten-
shovelful at a time, until the mower ing it up and when it was taut I shift ed
moved. I did not. This is ‘merica, my the truck into neutral. Click-click-click,
friends. This was the Desert Storm I yanked the arm on the come-along,
era. We don’t back down; we go only and bit by bit the wheels began to turn.

forward! This cart will move! Maximum Click-click-click, click-click-click. Did
force! More power! GRRRR! I tell you there is a little “catch” that
you disengage to let the cable out, then
42