Scott McLean
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A place to share stories

January 25, 2024

Self defense snake

Going to have a little more serious subject for part of this one.

When I was younger there were whole families that made the fruit picking circuit. California, north through us and cherries in Montana. Most of these families came from Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Many later settled here and actually bought their own farms.

This cycle is repeating but with a different group. Some of the kids from the traveling families were in school with us for a few weeks at a time. One of the kids I remember most was a black girl from Arkansas named Gay. I had no experience with racial problems so started talking to her like any other kid. She seemed shocked that I would associate with her and was shy anyway. Years later when I realized more I came to understand but found it sad. As I have said before, I was raised with the idea that if someone treated you right you did the same.

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January 24, 2024

The Tinkler

Having nerve spasms so today’s a two for.

My brother Steve and I were at odds with my older sisters boyfriends.

One had the last name of Payne. We secretly called him pain in the ass.

He had a Malibu he was quite proud of. Steve and I were coming back from the creek and he yelled at us to keep away from his car. I got his attention and Steve peed in his gas tank. He did not come around much after that.

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January 24, 2024

Dixie

The new place brought new friends and adventures. Unfortunately it also brought the loss of my companion since the age of 4.

I think Dixie missed the old irrigation ditch in Tieton so she would occasionally go to the canal on Cowiche Mountain for a swim. Other than that, she pretty much kept to our property.

She had a litter of pups and like most of her breed was protective. The neighbors weimaraners were prowling around and Dixie stood in the bottom of the driveway to warn them off. Someone swerved to avoid the Weimaraners and actually hit Dixie in our driveway. We knew the man and he felt terrible. I was heartbroken but wanted to shoot the 2 dogs responsible for the loss of my friend. Dad explained why I could not do that but if the opportunity presented itself I would have been hard pressed not to take it. She was a truly great dog and started a lifetime attraction to the breed.

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January 23, 2024

Bigfoot

Next Installment on my story.

When we moved to the house on Summitview and Pioneer it was quite a change. We went from sharing a room with a sibling to 5 bedrooms and 2 baths. Unfortunately, it also came with a lot more lawn to mow.

One of our favorite places was a group of huge old sage and greasewood on Cowiche Mountain. We worked very hard to find and catch horned toads. They were tricky to catch but once you had them they would ride around on your shirt for hours. I took one to 4th grade and got sent to talk to Mr. Zeutenhorst when a girl in my class realized it was a live lizard and not a toy.

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January 22, 2024

A new home

Here we go again folks

My time in the house on Cox road was approaching its end. Besides the open space, we had such wonders as a 41 Plymouth and a 32 International that had been converted to a tractor to play in. There was also the barn and a rock butte to catch lizards on.

One day I ran into the house and told everyone a rattlesnake had come towards me. Uncle Gingo said it was probably a bullsnake and laughed at me. When he went out he found it was indeed a ticked off rattlesnake. We had never seen one around there so they came up with the theory that it had ridden down underneath my Dad’s Jeep. I guess they were burning the dump when the adults were hunting at Trout Lodge and they thought it possibly crawled into the undercarriage of the Jeep. I can’t see that having happened so I think it probably just wandered from an area they were more common.

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January 20, 2024

An Uncanny Resemblance

  • Okay folks. You asked for it. I was born on July 11th, 1957. 7-11-1957 is easy to remember right? We lived on Cox road in Tieton. My cousin Ray, who I would have further adventures with was born the week previously and lived about 1/4 mile away.

Ray’s mom, Melba called mine to warn her that one of my great aunts was coming over. At that time, everyone had what was called a party line and you had to make sure a neighbor wasn’t using the phone before you dialed. Nosy neighbors might try to listen in.

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January 20, 2024

The bull whisperer meets family from Chicago

Next chapter!

We lived in the house on Cox road until I was 7. Sandy was 8 years older so rightfully considered me a pain in the butt. Steve was 3 years younger so just getting to the time he could follow me around. Our neighbors were not far away but you could not see the houses and that made it seem like we were all alone.

I made friends with the various farm animals and our boxer Dixie was a constant companion. I caused a great deal of excitement when my folks saw me riding around the pasture on the back of my Uncle’s Santa Gertrudis bull. The bull had a bad reputation and most of the adults would not get in the pasture with it. Evidently the bull and I had an understanding. There was also a rooster I talked to and various half wild cats. Dixie would take over the litters of kittens if they were not being cared for enough. It was an odd sight to see her on the porch with several cats she had raised curled up with her.

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January 19, 2024

Gingo

My favorite outdoor humor writer was Pat McManus. People find his stories far fetched and outrageous but anyone who grew up in the country back when would find that they did things just as goofy and sometimes dangerous. In Pat’s books there is a Backwoods character named Rancid Crabtree who taught the boys things they should not know.

Steve and I had our own personal Rancid in the form of our Uncle Gale who I called Gingo when I was younger for unknown reasons. He lived roughly 50 yards from us so was a handy font of improper knowledge. We only had a shower in the house so on Sundays we were allowed to go to Gale’s for a bath. He would sometimes teach us songs or jokes we didn’t understand at the time. If we repeated these at home we would be swatted and Mom would head out the door hollering “Gale!” Hopefully for his sake he had a head start.

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