Tim recalled one time of many incidents on their daily itinerary to school one day, several neighbors picked on and bullied him, Tim was a boney kid and at that time in his early life was not a very formidable boxer(though later on was a complete Golden Glove, he was 22-0 at the Cabin Inn, a rough cut-throat bar), but was being mistreated on their bus and the daily bus driver rarely saw or cared what bullying was going on back then, but Hondo one day has seen enough, he got up out of his bus seat, walked down the aisle and told that big bully to stop it or he’s going to whip his ass, in that exact impromptu order. The bully shit his pants and was scared shitless, the bully never moved an inch, Hondo would've worn his head out I do believe, I've never seen Hondo this mad, and from that day on Tim had peace and sat where he wanted and Tim never really thanked Hondo because he didn't have to show his appreciation because Hondo loved his brother very much.
Kevin and Tim suffered and experienced many destructive calamities under the rule of their alcoholic father, their dad was an incredible man, yet, his sickness made him just the opposite but Hondo and Tim adapted under all circumstances, another incidence was in their garage where they had no running water or bathroom or kitchen, only a two-burner electrical hot plate; they usually ate eggs, bacon, and canned biscuits, Tim did all the cooking, though one morning the pans were dirty so their dad boiled water in their skillet and most times just discarded it outside the door, Tim warned his dad that their pups Ringo and Slowpoke, we're sitting right outside the door, as they always did, but their dad never heeded and Tim’s words fell on deaf ears, his dad opened the door and flung the scolding boiling water on both dogs, the pups immediately yelped out in pain, and Tim and Kevin ran outside to comfort them while screaming at their drunken dad, but too late, Slowpoke and Ringo ran toward the woods never to be seen again, this upset Tim and Kevin so much they both said to their father, “take us back to Bardstown!” They were disgusted, mad, and upset over their loving dogs’ condition. Their dad was so drunk he couldn't even stand up much less drive back twenty miles of crooked and hilly terrain back to Bardstown but they have had enough of this madness, this wasn't any way to raise two children in these conditions, back to their mother where all was calm.
They all loaded up in their dad’s ‘65 Chevy green truck, but Hondo got in the middle of the truck’s seat next to his dad to help his dad drive and steer the truck home but Tim got out of the truck and hollered for the dogs.
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