Walking A Tightrope Over The Ohio River(pg.10)

     I always took up for Stingray but today was different, he could've killed us because a drop at 240 feet into this water is like hitting concrete. Stingray was warned by Terry and that was the end of that, we went on like nothing ever happened. I was still quite shaken up by this and I usually don't show any weakness but this stayed with me, we were helpless in a hapless situation that could've turned very deadly. 
     August came and we had one part of the bridge repaired and the other half in a redlight zone. The sun was blistering down daily and the heat really wore on me, one day I looked at two cables that were parallel to each other that stretched all way across the bridge almost a mile long, and I thought that I could tightrope these wires, holding on two hands while my feet rested on the one beneath, and inch my way across this bridge in a daredevilish way, so I slid down the trestle which was scolding hot, and looked below and got in that trance that we were warned not to, it literally makes the bridge move instead of the river and gives you immediate vertigo, but I stopped and grabbed the top cable and pulled myself up, and rested my two feet on the cable line below and inched my way about ten feet and thought damn this is very dangerous but fun. I looked up and two local boys were watching me as I jumped back on the trestle and climbed back up. 
     "Wow, that was fun," I hollered out laughing.
     "You are crazy as Hell doing that," one of the locals named Bobby said.
     "Why, I do it every day?" 
     "But not like this those cables, they're too bouncy and you could lose your grip."
     "Man, I can slide alway across this bridge one end to the other," I blurted out heroically. 
     "I bet you a hundred dollars you can't," Bobby said, so cocky. 
     "I can't do it today while working, I'll have to do it after work," I said hoping he'll say no.
     "Fine with me, shake on this, a hundred dollar bill you won't make it all way across," he said pulling out his sweaty palm for a handshake of trust. 
     "Great, it's a bet," I said while shaking his hand, and thinking to myself what have I gotten myself into this time, this is the stupidest thing I've ever done and most dangerous.

                                                           10

Walking A Tightrope Over The Ohio River(pg. 9)

     My first Madison Regatta was something to behold for a kid at nineteen because everything was brand new. I met up with Linda on Main Street and what a surprise, we walked around for hours and she was a great tour guide and explained everything to me but cops were everywhere and did not like folks drinking in their town, but we had our drinks in red cups to disguise the whiskey. The boat race was amazing and Bill Muncey or Mr. Unlimited won his 7th Madison Title in comeback style too, trailed most of the race to Miss Budweiser.  
    We were walking on the Madison side of the waterway when I looked up and saw four cops who had Stingray cornered by some parked car. They found an ounce of weed on him and that was a death sentence in Indiana in the 1970s, they took him off the jail without incident. I panicked and immediately found my boss Terry, he made all arrangements to get him released, but couldn't until Monday morning, I warned Stingray numerous times to stay off the Madison side, there were cops on every corner and eyed everyone including me, but I had my gal who knew a few of them so they backed off us. 
     I took Linda back to the hotel room and I made love to her like a young beast, she moaned expletives like someone possessed and I loved it, and it was so quiet everyone was down on the Ohio River. We had a safe place with no one to bother us, and why I didn't think of this earlier is a mystery to me, she was a beautiful young gal, her body was tight as a Stradivari. She was a great kisser and knew how to please a man, we stayed in the hotel room for six hours and it was getting dark, I had Stingray's keys and drove her to town and dropped her off the place I found her, she kissed me goodbye for ten minutes, my God, she was a sweet honey. 
     Monday morning came in like a sigh, poor ole Stingray was still in jail, so Terry went and got the local attorney, and before the day was gone, Terry managed to get Stingray released, and Stingray was a beautiful sight for sore eyes, I loved my cousin and never wanted him in legal trouble, he was just a good ole country boy having fun like the majority of kids our age.
We joked around but Stingray was worried, but I told him, "hey, it's your first offense, they'll offer probation, so you'll be fine." 
     We headed back into the hot sun, the work was getting more dangerous by the day, the locals refuse to go under the bridge and many were let go because we needed reliable hands with our lives, there's no room for errors, but I liked a few of these local workers and kidded around with them on various occasions, winning wagers from crazy stuff, and Stingray entertained them once when he picked up an empty helium bottle and threw it over the bridge, it took almost eight seconds before it landed with a big boom, and we all laughed, and another time Stingray took the bucket of the backhoe with us in it, and dropped us over the edge for fun, but this wasn't funny at all, I thought he was going to ride us down the other end of the bridge, but this took a nasty turn, because Seegar, Spencer and myself found no humor in this at all because we were in the bucket, Stingray tipped the bucket over the bridge's edge about ten feet from bridge and slowly started to tilt the bucket, we were literally hanging on by our fingertips, I almost lost my grip several times as did the others, and when Stingray knew we were pissed, he quit and brought us back into safety, but we immediately jumped him, and he was lucky we didn't whip his ass right there. He knew we didn't find this funny whatsoever, Seegar went and told Terry, he was so hot, rightfully so too, that was by far the dumbest thing I've ever seen Stingray do. 

                                                                        9

Walking A Tightrope Over The Ohio River(pg. 8)

     We hit every backroad near Ohio River, and the light of day was falling over the horizon in this quiet lovely town, and we had to work in the morning, so we had to tell these gals goodbye in the saddest way.
     "Well sweetie, it's getting late, and we have to work tomorrow, what's your phone number?”  I  said praying she'd give it to me. 
     She asked for a pen and wrote it on a gum packet, and handed to me, and said, "You better call!" 
     "Don't worry honey, I will!" I said glancing one more time at her tanned legs.
     "You gonna give me yours?" Stingray said getting his priorities in line. 
     We left them by the curb where we found them because that's where they said they wanted to be left off. I wondered too if they were streetwalkers but damn good looking ladies regardless. We both told them goodbye and headed back to the motel. I thought I'll never hear from her again and who knows what phone number she gave me? I was young and never thought of it again.
     We all got out of bed early, but this weekend was different coming up, it was the "Madison Regatta" and it's a blast, a boat race like no other on the Ohio River where Miss Budweiser usually dominated every year or Atlas Van Lines, but that year the legend Bill Muncey won it, and that was the last year he ever won it too, Bill Muncey was called "Mr. Unlimited" who owned the record for hydroplane racing with 62 races, until his record was broken by Dave Villwock in 2011. Unfortunately, he would have broken every hydroplane racing record, but in Acapulco on October 18, 1981, when he was killed in a blow-over crash while traveling 175  miles per hour. He was 53 years old and was buried at Glen Abbey Memorial Park in Bonita, California. Thank God I got to see this legend win in 1979, his last win in Madison, he won 7 Madison Regatta titles. 
     That weekend we didn't head back to our hometowns, we visited our very first Madison Regatta festival, and it was great. I saw a man climb the very top of the Madison-Milton Bridge which measured from the top of the bridge to the Ohio River over 300-feet, the plunge to the swift-running water below was horrid to watch but he made it look like a ten-foot dive, but water police and river constables quickly nabbed him though, this was a huge drawing and they didn't need clowns endangering the hydroplane racers, the race was dangerous enough. 

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Walking A Tightrope Over The Ohio River(pg. 7)

     "You gals want to go for a ride?” Stingray chimed in as he looked what the cat dragged up from the curb. 
     "Sure!" They both said in unison.
     "Well get in," I said while opening the side hatch door in the van.
     They climbed in and they were so hot, long brown legs, long blonde, and coal-black hair, and wild. Their bodies slid right in those rear bucket seats like a glove, I couldn't keep my eyes off the blonde haired gal. Stingray drove off and headed to the nearest bar, over the bridge, remembering Madison is dry. We needed some beer to break the ice.
     "You gals in college?" I threw out of nowhere, just stirring up a conversation. 
     "I'm not enrolled yet, but planning on it," said the cute blonde.
     "By the way I'm Tim, and this here is Stingray," I said getting that out of the way.
     "I'm Linda," the hot blonde screamed out.
     "And, I'm Mary," the black haired gal followed. 
     "Please to meet you gals," I said while smelling the tanning oils on their brown long legs.
     Stingray walked inside the bar and walked right out with a 12-pack of Budweiser, and handed it to me, and one thing about Milton, it only had one cop, and it knew our van and knew we worked on the bridge and he didn't ever mess with us which was a good thing, because back home cops loved pulling you over for nothing other than being nosey. 
     "Y'all get high?" Stingray said while driving off the parking lot.
     "We sure do!" They both said in unison as they both chuckled. 
     "Here Little Joe, roll one up," Stingray whispered like they couldn't hear it as he handed the bag of weed. It was good weed too. I rolled one up, but I didn't quite suffice the skills Stingray had, he could roll one while driving with one hand. But, it was rolled, and I handed to the gals for the first puff. 
     "Try that," I said handing it to the blonde as I winked at her.
    Linda wasn't shy, she lit that hog-leg up like a champ, coughed and passed it to Mary, who wasted no time inhaling Mother Nature's wonder either, now things got really good, they were high and laughing and comfortable, the way it should be.
    Stingray took a hit and turned on a long endless country road, slow and easy, I always got so high, because I ran every day, and kept in great shape, it didn't take much for me to get high, a toke or two, and I was there. The gals were now quiet and high, I handed Linda a beer and Mary reached out for one too, we laughed.
    "I like you, Tim," Linda said out of nowhere.
    "Well, back at ya gal," I said, now I knew she felt what I felt, and that's mutual attraction, but I love the sloe gin approach, I rush nothing.
     "Hey Mary, you gonna Bogart that joint all night?" Stingray said breaking the ice with his new girlfriend. 
                                                                       7
  
    

     

Walking A Tightrope Over The Ohio River(pg. 6)

     We usually all got back to the hotel, took our showers, and hit the air-conditioning and took a load off our legs because many days the temperature would rise over a hundred degrees on that bridge and it took us a while to cool off and beers worked like a charm for us. 
     Stingray had so much energy, he was always restless, I was tired because I packed everything, but he always took a shower and was gone, but this time I headed with him, Spencer and Seeger waited back in the hotel rooms waiting to take their showers. I finally got the front passenger seat and was the co-pilot, and I immediately threw in a cassette of some old Allman Brothers, and the song Blue Skies came on and blew me away, we smoked one, and I was so content, but we were in search of some women. 
   The gals would walk the streets in Madison with the shortest of shorts and always waved, but poor Milton was a ghost town, it had no Main Street worth mentioning, we pulled over to this cut-throat bar, and I didn't like it at all, absolutely zero women, we drank a beer and headed out and jumped back into the van, I then noticed two hot babes walking on the street, I told Stingray to pull up beside them and he did. 
     "Hey there!" I screamed out.
     "Hey back at ya," said the cute long haired blonde walking up toward us. I was immediately smitten.
     "Where does everyone around here go for fun?" I inquired and gawking at her hot body and heavenly face. Stingray just sat quiet and let me take the reins. 
     "Oh, nothing ever happens in this shitty town, we go the next county over," she said being over friendly. I really liked her, instant attraction. 
     "Y'all have boyfriends?" I asked while praying they didn't.
     "I broke up with mine," she said, and that was just what I wanted to hear.
     "What about your cute friend, cat got her tongue or she just doesn't talk to strangers? I said laughing aloud. 
     " Oh, I talk, but I see no action," she said, winking.

                                                                   6 

Walking A Tightrope Across The Ohio River(pg. 5)

     We got back to the hotel, and I was already lit up like a downtown marquee sign on Madison's Main Street. This hotel was up the hill about a mile from town, and it had an indoor pool that we used frequently and we all jumped in, and later that night I got wasted and spouted off to everyone, I was really ashamed of myself and Stingray put me in my place, rightfully so too.

     The next morning came so quickly and I was hung over so bad and dying of thirst, but we all were hurting yet managed to load up in the van, though my head wouldn't stop hurting. Stingray drove slowly across the Madison-Milton bridge, this was my first official day of work. We pulled up into the Dairy Queen parking lot and met up with our boss who always ate there every morning, and we always ate lunch across the Ohio River in Madison at the diner right beside the river. In either town, there were very limited places to eat. 

     Stingray was my boss so to speak, and our foreman was Terry Williams, who was a Raywickian too, and I knew him well because he used to help my dad on our farm in Raywick, he was a hard worker and a decent guy. Terry helped everyone with any problem. 

     After breakfast, we headed to the bridge, there our crew made concrete forms that were placed underneath the bridge where the following nightshift crew worked all night jackhammering the bridge joints at these certain pinpointed sections-this bridge was built between 1928-1929, very old bridge- and we came by the following day and propped up concrete forms under the belly of this old bridge, this was very dangerous work, back then there were no safety harnesses only one hand for yourself and another hand for the company. 

It was 240 feet down to your own death if you made one error and rule number one, you never ever stare down at the river, the bridge will seem like it’s moving and will give you immediate vertigo, you never stared into the abyss. 

     I got the unfortunate job of being the pack mule, carrying helium tanks, lugging them with only one arm climbing down a slick railing trestle with only one hand hanging on the bridge, then having the joy of packing them back up, which was even harder, then came muling or packing boxes and boxes of hundred pounds of bolts half a mile, and remember I wasn't a big guy, only 5'11" but I was strong as a horse. 

                                                               5

Greed

Greed's the seasoned siren,
she lures all to her isle of avarice,
once invoked she'll never leave
your conscious mind,  
no man can escape her curse,
she holds in captivity your chained will,
you'll kill anyone for another token of gold,
you'll deprive your own children of health
for a fool's share, you'll abandon all sanctity
of love to steal another devil's keepsake, 
greed will engirt your every endeavor,  
she'll stifle every minute of your day 
with thoughts of opulence, 
she's the rogue of self-control, 
you'll kill your best friend for 
an inside stock market tip,
you'll destroy your kids' dreams
for a measly bloody share,
but she'll leave a revenant of ash
and disappointment in your wake,
you'll hunger for more like a helpless
dying drug addict, she'll bind you with
endless despair and horrid misery,
you'll end of naked upon some deserted islet
and your voice will echo in an empty return
of neverending silence. 

- John Hardesty 

Walking A Tightrope Over The Ohio River(pg. 4)

     We drifted down many sloping valleys and hollers and hugged the Ohio River as we finally made it to Milton. Milton was a quiet town and very small, but it was the last town before crossing the Ohio River. Now, Madison, Indiana on the other side of the river was a very different story, the town had a little Hollywood and historical past, the downtown of Madison is known as the Madison Historic Landmark District; Madison was founded in 1809 along the Ohio River and the home to Indiana's first railroad and had an active steamboat port. Now, in 1958, a film called Some Came Running was shot in Madison by the great director Vincente Minnelli and starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Shirley MacLaine and had five Academy Award nominations. 
    We first walked into that small town and ate at the Dairy Queen, and it was the only restaurant in this one-horse town. I had $48 bucks to last until my first payday so I ate light. Stingray and my new friends laughed at me because I drank four miniature cartons of milk with my sausage and gravy, they all drank cokes but I told them, "I'm a growing boy!" They laughed and I broke some more ice and lifted any stagnant air that remained. 
     I had my eye on that cute little waitress and she had her eyes on me as well, but I waited another time before I made any move. We all loaded up and traveled across the Milton-Madison bridge, and Stingray traveled over it very slowly in his van, and I gawked over its wonder, the bridge was in the total length of 3,184.2 feet, over 3/4 of a mile long and in the dead center of the bridge it was over 240 feet from the boughs of its edge to the cold Ohio River, no place for cowards to work on that's for sure. 
     We arrived at this very nice hotel, all the rooms were paid in full by our boss, and by golly that helped too! I out of politeness let them each pick their beds, and they were all nice, but you know people and their idiosyncratic moods, one little tick could set off the alarm. We all unpacked our light bags, and I just threw mine under the bed, suitcase and all. 
     "Who wants to go get a drink?" Stingray said with that country twanged voice. 
     "You do know that this city is dry, right?" I said like an unabashed smart aleck. 
     "Junior, Junior, Junior, I know that, but the next town over isn't!" Stingray said with the quickest comeback of his career. 

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Ghost Gabble

I don’t need a psychomanteum to know ghosts don’t talk to people, they whisper to them, “ I see alive people!”