The Wildman's Life Stories

This is another from the days at Sue City N.S.W. Australia.

Now as you surly have gathered from the previous stories, Sue City was not a big place, the law in that place consisted of one constable. I am sorry but I have forgotten the gentleman's name.

Evey available moment we kids had was spent on or about the river (Tumut), and fishing was a very favorite activity. The fishing season (for trout) was easy to remember, it was any month with an "R" in it. I am not sure but I think the month was August, I know it was a month with no "R" in it, we kids were at the river an fishing away when we hear something coming up the path (animal path), so into the bushes go the fishing poles and the rather nice sized rainbow trout that we had caught. Sure enough coming up the path was the constable, and he asked us kids "have you been fishing"?. There has always got to be one in every crowd, the individual for whom it is impossible to tell any type of lie, sure enough one of our group spills the beans. Now we kids were ready to murder this individual, as we had visions of getting into trouble let alone losing our catch. The constable just said "where did you catch them, I have been trying all day and haven't caught a thing".

To my Aussie mates: Is trout season in the Snowy still any month with an "R" in it?

Thanks
Wildman

 

Hey Wildman,

You mentioned Miramar a couple of posts back. I wonder if it's the same Base that my Sister served at w/the Navy back in the 70's as an RMC in charge of a communications installation?

Write on, big ed

PS...enjoying the recollections along w/everyone else!

 

Big Ed:

This is a very good possibility, for the base was known as Miramar Naval Air Station before it was turned over to the Marines a few years back.

Thanks
Wildman

 

Hey! One of those kids in the pics has the same last name as me!! Long lost cuzzin?

Really enjoy your stories, Wildman! I agree with Greyfox, hope you are saving them for your children's children.......not enough of those old stories around as far as I am concerned.

You could write a book!

Take care, keep 'em coming!

Cheers!

Marja

 

Most all I know about computers has been self taught. The last few months of my active duty military life were spent rather easily, my replacement was on board and the Wildman was kicking back. The education office was right beneath the Wildman's office and some of the colleges had their outreach classes held in that facility. The Wildman thought just for the heck of it he would take a class on word processing and spread sheet preparation, now I had already been playing around in these areas, but again all self taught. I started my class and did not let on that I knew a thing. In this class there were only twelve terminals and the program was the teaching variety. The Wildman had two ladies on either side of him, one rather young one and one the wife of a retired individual, a grandmotherly type. This one night (the class was at night) the grandmotherly type lady started to go into a panic because the machine had locked up and would not do a thing, she had her hand up but the instructor was busy with another student and didn't see her. The Wildman leaned over and asked what the trouble was, this poor lady was now almost to the point of tears, the Wildman asked her if she had everything backed up (she said yes), so the Wildman said let me have a look and proceeded to do his thing. I was not aware that the instructor was now right behind the Wildman and watching everything he was doing, the instructor said she wanted to talk to the Wildman after class. After everyone had left for the night the instructor asked the Wildman how the heck he knew to do what he had done because that little trick was not even taught in her advance class. The Wildman asked if she would like to come upstairs and see his office, on one side of the hall was my administrative office and on the other side were the computers, in that room was over one million dollars worth of equipment. The instructor just looked at me and said "I think I have smoked out a ringer, why are you taking my class?" The Wildman told her that all he knew had been self taught and he wanted to confirm that what he knew was indeed valid.

Thanks
Wildman

 

I know I haven't had a story in a while.

Again from the Sue City N.S.W. Australia days. As previously told, we kids spent quiet a few hours in and around the Tumut river. We were a mixed bunch and girls were part of that mix, it was not unusual for any of us to take a dip in the river, and some times this meant skinny dipping. This one time quiet a few of us went skinny dipping, when I arrived home my dad asked if I had a good time and then proceeded to tell me exactly what we had done and who all had taken part. Now I was absolutely amazed that he knew all this and asked him how, all I got was there isn't anything you can do that I don't know about for you see I am able to see you at all times. For years I believed that my dad had super powers until I found out that on that day he had a survey crew working on the mountain above us and they had reported to him all they saw.

Thanks
Wildman

 

Hey Wildman
Just wanted you to know I am really enjoy your stories!

 

Good stuff!

btw....I want my kids thinking I DO have super-powers!! http://bestsmileys.com/superhero/2.gif

 

Thanks all:

This one take place at Kadena AB Okinawa Japan.

The Wildman worked in the customer service section of the consolidated base military personnel office. This facility at the time (approx. 1976) was located in a WW II style H shaped quonset hut smack in the middle of the base golf course. Our captain would ask base civil engineers on occasion if there weren't any other available facilities, only to be told "NO". Now as luck would have it the chief of staff for the U.S.A.F. was making a tour of bases in the Pacific. We spruced up the old building as best we could and awaited the arrival of the general. Oh also to get anywhere else in that building one had to pass the Wildman's desk first. On the day the general was to arrive the Wildman had one of his airman look for the general's car to come up the drive and then give us a heads up that the general was almost there. When the general walked into the building our captain called us all to attention of course. With the general was all of the command staff for U.S.A.F. forces in the pacific. I will never forget the generals words "gentlemen when and if I ever return to Kadena AB the consolidated base military personnel office will not be located in this facility". Oh buy the way the general then turned around and went back to his staff car and drove off. Within one half hour base civil engineering was placing red Xe's on the building. The Wildman left Kadena before the band new consolidated base military personnel complex was opened.

Thanks
Wildman

 

This one is for a friend who is hurting at this time:

Misty was my daughter's cat, and she had brought him home from the swap meet. Misty's parentage was of undetermined sources but most likely a wild pair. Now Misty had a rough life as my daughter's friends treated him rather roughly form the start, not mean mind you but a little to rough. At this time the Wildman was still on active duty with the U.S.A.F. and was in Reese AFB (Lubbock Texas). Mrs. Wildman and the daughter were in Escondido California (Wildman did not have a clue that he would be in Texas as long as he was and Mrs. Wildman had a good job). Misty really didn't get to know the Wildman untill he retired and was now part of the household. One night the Wildman was reading on the sofa and Misty I guess didn't like the fact that I was in his spot so he took a swat at me and drew blood. The Widman was rather upset over this and swated Misty back with the book (a hard back). From that time on Misty would crawl up on the Wildman's lap while he was on the sofa and would proceed to go to sleep. The daughter could not believe it as he wouldn't do that with any one else. Misty remained with us even after the daughter had gotten married and had moved out of the house. Misty got old and when we had to move the new place would not take pets, we had to put Misty to sleep. The Wildman was tore up for weeks.

Thanks
Wildman

 

This one is very recent.

We currently have two cats, one male (Jack) and one female (Jill) they are brother and sister. These two are about the most skittish animals I have ever come across, the door bell rings and they are off to their hiding places. However this is not the point of this story. The other night the Wildman was up late watching the CMT channel and the top 100 duets of country music, Jack was at the foot of my chair apparently watching also, for when the song stooped and the audience was cheering Jack let out one heck of a loud meow. I laughed for about a minute and Jack just looked at me as if I had lost my mind.

Thanks
Wildman

 

Wildman (grampa) you rock at telling stores.keep them coming!

 

Thank you sweetheart (Id Girl). Grandpa will try and keep them coming, if you think of anything the Wildman should tell, please let (grandpa) know.

Also you should download these stories on to your computer and save them for the future, so that my great grandkids may know about the Wildman. Have daddy show you how to do this.

Thanks (Love)
Wildman a.k.a. (Grandpa)
http://www.smileys.ws/sm/grinning/00000020.gif

 

THANK YOU A LOT ! I LOVE YOU!




http://www.smileys.ws/sm/action/00000046.gif

 

Man oh man, if this doesn't make the Wildman one of the richest people on this planet I don't know what would. Needless to say I kinda love the three of you guys also. This story you may appreciate.

The time is January 1971 and the Wildman is working as a security officer in the Atomic Energy Commission office, downtown Berkley Calif, 3:00P.M. - 11:00P.M. shift. This wasn't a bad job, but nothing to make a career over. Grammie and I had been awaiting a certain event for a few months and were getting a little frustrated that it was yet to have occurred. Well this one day Grammie was sure the event was going to happen so she asked the Wildman to call work and tell them he was not coming in. Off the the hospital we go, they check Grammie out and tell her that the event will not take place yet and send us back home. The Wildman debated going to work but Grammie asked him not to. Latter that day Grammie asked to go back to the hospital, they check her out again and again say not yet, but one of the nurses looks at Grammie and tells her you look miserable so I think we will keep you for awhile. Latter on that night your mother was born in Martinez Calif.

Thanks
Wildman

 

Hey Wildguy,

I surely hope that the last post was to your Grand-daughter otherwise I'm going to have to re-write my whole Family history!

Smirking in Spokane, Sid ed

 

I love you to big ed, but don't edit your family history. Well then again most all of my relatives on my mother's side of the family hail from the great North West. Ya got any Estes, Olson, Joiner or Gulan in that tree of yours? Dang eye site thing, I've edited this post, if ya got any relatives in Oregon or Washington it would apply. Sorry about this, but it happens from time to time. Looking up or looking down causes this, not always but some times. I have a double vision problem and am considered 100% disabled because of it. Most of the time I can sort of work around it.

Thanks
Wildman

 

Hi Wildman! I started reading your stories last night and then I came back this morning to finish reading them. They are heartwarming and delightful stories. Although I enjoyed reading them all, I liked a lot reading the stories when you were a kid, especially the one where you went fishing and a constable surprised you in the act and, oh! the funny way the story ended. That, for sure, could have been a very nice "little Golden Books" story along with the one in post 32 that made tears come to my eyes!!!

Thank you!

 

Again the Wildman is blown away by the apparent suggestions that you like his stories.

I thought I had told this one before, but I could not locate it so perhaps I have not.

This one takes place back in the days when we were at Mill City Ore. and dad worked on the Detroit Dam. As I have told before, once a month we would drive into the nearest big town or city and stock up for the month. Mom would always ask dad if there was any thing special he wanted for her to bring back, dad would always reply ya a twenty two year old blond. The nearest big city for us was Salem Ore., and mom and I did the monthly thing. I remember that this one time we were in a rather large grocery store when the Wildman spotted what he thought was a rather attractive young lady with blond hair. The Wildman not being a bit shy at age four asked this young lady if he could take her home to his daddy. At the time I could not understand why my father was sleeping on the sofa for the next week.

Thanks
Wildman

 

This one takes place in Jamshedpur India.

In our back yard we had a banana tree, now the bananas were only good for cooking and didn't taste that good if you were just to eat them. We at this time also had a spider monkey (a male). This little guy (sorry I do not remember what we had named him) lived in a good size cage in the back yard, or at least that is where he was supposed to have lived. This little guy was smart and had figured out how to get out of it's cage and would head straight for that banana tree. I guess it figured out they weren't good for eating also as he would peal them half way down, wait for any female in the household to pass by and then squeeze the banana till it shot at his unsuspecting target. He would only do this to females and never did do it to any male of the household. For some reason my mother did not care for this animal, I can't for the life of me guess why.

Thanks
Wildman

 

....I bet that your father learned to be more careful very quickly.

...that's funny, could it be that he was very generous with females only?

 

This one also takes place at Mill City.

The Wildmans first dog was a small black mutt. My mother had taken me to the pound in Portland Ore., and said I could pick out any dog I wanted. Sambo was the dog I picked, mom tried to persuaded me to pick another, but the Wildman said nope this is the one, even back then at the age of 3 or 4 the Wildman was head strong. Now Sambo was not a big dog, but he was all mine from the very get go. My father had a habit of picking me up and swatting me on the backside every time he came home from work. Well the last time he did this was when he had picked me up, was ready to swat my backside and Sambo jumped up and sank his teeth into my father's backside. My father yelled for my mother to get the dog off his butt, he said as long as he remained still the dog did nothing, but if he so much as twitched the dog sank the teeth in a little deeper. Sadly Sambo was killed by a speeding car when we moved from Mill City to Gates.That is another story.

Thanks
Wildman

 

Continuation of the above story:

Apparently my father acquired a small mobile home (we called them trailers back then) as payment for a loan. We up until then had been living in a duplex at Mill City Ore., but now that we had the trailer (8' X 28'), dad decided to move closer to his work and we moved to Gates Ore. Dad talked my uncle into coming down from Portland Ore., with his pick up and they picked up the trailer and moved it to Gates. In the process of the move something apparently was not right with either the pick up or the trailer because my dad and uncle pulled off to the side of the road. Mom, my aunt, my cousins and myself were following in the car, Sambo was riding right along side of me. Now the entire time I owned Sambo he would do almost anything for me and never ever did he growl or bark, not this time however. Sambo growled at me jumped through the window and dashed across the road. Dad said it felt as if a hammer had hit him in the back when Sambo made contact with his body and shoved him forward just as a speeding car barely missed hitting my father but not Sambo. The driver did not stop. Now my dad was not a particularly tall or big individual, but I kid you not he was what we today would say was buffed, he also had grown up on the South Side of Chicago Ill. Dad was an individual whom you looked at and thought long and hard about wanting to tangle with. My uncle and dad took our car and chased down the driver of the car that had almost hit him and had killed Sambo. Dad said his first inclination was to beat the crud out of the guy, but then he had a better idea, they brought this guy back to me and made him listen to me crying for over half an hour.

Thanks
Wildman

 

This one takes place in the early days of the Wildman's stint with the U.S. Army approx. 1966.

After having completed basic training at Fort Ord CA, the Wildman was assigned to Fort Bliss TX. I was now to receive training as a Nike Hercules Missile fire control operator (what a joke, one of the reasons the Wildman did not remain with the Army). Our training consisted of setting up, taking down and setting up again the missile sit out in the middle of the New Mexico desert. Now a Nike site takes one heck of a lot of electric power, and this was provided in the way of rather big diesel generators. This one time one of the generators was acting up so the Wildman was tasked to go back to Fort Bliss and pick up another one. The Wildman (with help) hooked up the generator to the back of a two and a half ton truck and off to Fort Bliss he goes. I pick up the new generator and am instructed to deliver it to the site, but they want me to return to Fort Bliss afterward as they say they need the truck in for maintenance. The Wildman makes it back to the site, delivers the generator and is on his way back to Fort Bliss. It is now starting to get dark, so the Wildman asked the first sergeant, how do I get back to the main road? The first sergeant said go straight for about a mile to a mile and a half, on your left will be an abandoned adobe farm house, turn right and go for about two miles, you will come to the main road, turn left and it will take you straight in to Fort Bliss. The Wildman drove and drove and never did see anything that resembled an adobe farm house abandoned or otherwise, so he decides, I had better turn right and try and find the road. Sure enough I come upon a road, I turn left and am on my way to Fort Bliss. I had driven about a mile when I see a road sign that says Tucson 125 miles. I turned around and headed in the opposite direction. The individual at the gas station was real surprised when I pulled in with an Army truck and put $5.00 worth of diesel in it. I made it back to Fort Bliss at approx. 1:00 A.M., they had already reported me A.W.O.L. and I was facing charges of having stolen an Army vehicle.

Thanks
Wildman

 

This one takes place at Otis AFB Mass., approx. 1971.

If you recall, in another story I told that we were living in government housing. Well at this time my daughter was just learning to walk, and was also teething. My wife had located a bunch of keys that we weren't using and had placed them on a key ring and gave them to my daughter to chew on. We had placed those plugs into all the electric sockets, but my little darling had figured out how to pull them out, we kept telling her no and smacked her little hands, but that did not deter her. This one time the daughter had the keys in her hand and decided to find out what happens when you try to put them in that hole thing in the wall. She jumped, throw the keys and screamed "mommy it bit me", from then on my daughter would walk around that electric socket at a good distance.

Thanks
Wildman