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Seattle 1959 to 1961
Mom and Dad in Seattle in 1960 |
In 1959 Dad could not make a living on the farm at
Brush Creek so Mom went to Seattle where Uncle Ray and Aunt Mary had
already moved. It was where the work is. After Mom made enough
money and school was out we were to move there. James graduated
from Livingston High School in 1959 and we basically put everything in our
1949 straight eight Buick and headed for Seattle. The car was so full that
it hit a rock on the way out of Climax and tore a hole in the oil
pan. Dad had to fix it before we could continue. We drove non
stop. Actually James and Dad drove. Stella and I were just
along for the ride.
Dad got a job quickly and of course Mom already had hers. We lived in the South Park section of Seattle most the nearly two years that we were there. During this time James joined the Air Force but was soon discharged because of allergies. When Dad said goodbye to Grandpa Isaac and Grandma Cleo was the first time I saw him cry. |
| I went to Cleveland High School. Somehow, even in Seattle which was even then known as a melting pot, A transplanted Kentucky Hillbilly was considered lower class. As a defensive move I formed a gang called the "Royal Rebels". The gang was only interested in defense. It seemed the society in control only cared about themselves and did not care at all for the plight of the ordinary person. Since guns and weapons were not available I started making my own. The zip gun was made from a car radio antenna. The antenna was made of brass that is chrome plated. But most importantly of all it was .22 caliber size. Therefore a .22 caliber bullet would fit in it or a .22 cal pellet would fit in it. The original zip gun was made of a shot .22 caliber casing with a hole drilled in the back. A cap from a cap pistol was then glued to the casing where the hole was. The casing was filled with shaved material from match heads. For a bullet a .22 caliber pellet was attached to the casing. These were called zip guns because when fired they made more of a whooshing sound than a bang. They zipped. | 
My "Royal Rebel" gang jacket. Underneath is my two barrel zip gun named after Susan Swafford. It was named "Suzie Baby". Two billy clubs are also on the table. |
The variable I created was using a .22 caliber lead bullet that had been extracted from the casing. I then inserted the other end with a readily available firecracker. The fuse was ignited with a cigarette and the .22 caliber bullet exited the other end. I have seen people talk each other into shooting each other in the back with the firecracker zip guns. They did not penetrate the skin but did leave a really big bruise. I always assumed that my version of the zip gun was more powerful than the match head version because when I tried to fire a .22 cal pellet instead of lead bullet it would almost always spread and break the skirt off and leave it inside the barrel while only the very head half of the pellet was actually fired.
I know I have spent much time detailing this era but it is important to realize that I was consumed in defense of my person and being so I created my own weapons. I think important to note that these were not deadly weapons. That the intent was to make the opponent or opponents retreat or "give" but was not to kill. The violence today is intended to kill. I will add that the anger equals the violence. Had the problems of our culture been solved in 1960 we would not have the extreme murderous anger in the youth of today.
You may say, "but you had choices". Yes, your choices were to fight or submit. In a suppressive culture that is your only choices.
I had started writing journals in 1959 and there are very detailed descriptions of my life for the next several years. Even though, I, like almost all journal keepers, did not get into the feelings or emotions involved at that time, I can read the journals and feel my emotions that had to go with the train of thought involved.
to be continued......