Friday Night Lights has nothing on us!
The buzz of Friday was wonderful and it started early with just getting ready for school by wearing football jerseys and the girls wearing cheer outfits and then the general anticipation of the band playing and folks gathering around the stadium. It was fun with cars parked all around the field filled up with family, friends, neighbors and everyone was happy to be there. NO cell phones or electronic games to keep you away.
Friday's were filled with anticipation and I had so much nervous energy that it almost made me sick at the stomach. But now that I think about it the stomach problem might be created by my eating a chicken friend steak every Friday at the Shidler Cafe with cream gravy and Heinz 57 sauce and french fries. Now that was good eat'en!
And now that I have mentioned the cafe let me recall one of my favorite stories. I believe it was Steve Chrisco, AJ and Dave Jacques and myself at the cafe one day and I was sitting in one of the booths when Henry and Ester Vaden were probably about 90 years old and Henry was almost blind. He was walking in the cafe and looking for Ester when he got real close to my face and said, "is that you Ester?". That put everyone into a full laughter and I of course respectfully answered, "nope, I am not Ester". The Vaden's were part of the culture driving to town every day to eat and their hired helper (don't recall his name) would lead the way warning folks they were coming. Now if you don't know, the challenge was they drove about 20 miles per hour all the time or slower and it did not matter what everyone else was doing. They had a 52 step side Ford (I think it was a ford) that was green and when they finally purchased a new one in about 1970 they ordered another step side Ford with nothing on it like power steering, radio, air conditioning, or power windows. They wanted it just like the old one and that is what they got. Very nice folks and a great part of our culture.
Another thing about the cafe that I fondly remember is David Howell, one of the smartest and fun guys in our class and a dry sense of humor, would be at the cafe handing out Life Savers for everyone as long as it was not cherry. You see David got the cherry ones. In fact he handed those things out to everyone everywhere as long as it was not a cherry Life Saver. David was friendly to everyone and seemed to be especially favored by the older folks who needed things fixed as David was always willing and able to fix/repair anything. I guess I am going to have to write some stories about David as he has provided me with some great memories, a lot like Johnny Payne.
Well back to the Shidler Tigers and Friday nights. Remember every week there was a competition for the spirit stick which was a dowel rod painted gold with blue ribbon wrapped around it like a candy cane? And one year or multiple years someone came up with the idea of a spirit jug. Every Friday we would have a pep rally with the band playing in the old gymnasium and the girls would cheer and everyone would get all pumped up for the game.
By the time the game was to start I think I could bite through steel. It always took a few plays for me to get over that nervous energy. Football was my favorite sport even though I was really too slow a runner. I loved the team, the energy of the school and our town. Dear old Shidler High!
What do you learn in the Osage?
The buzz of Friday was wonderful and it started early with just getting ready for school by wearing football jerseys and the girls wearing cheer outfits and then the general anticipation of the band playing and folks gathering around the stadium. It was fun with cars parked all around the field filled up with family, friends, neighbors and everyone was happy to be there. NO cell phones or electronic games to keep you away.
Friday's were filled with anticipation and I had so much nervous energy that it almost made me sick at the stomach. But now that I think about it the stomach problem might be created by my eating a chicken friend steak every Friday at the Shidler Cafe with cream gravy and Heinz 57 sauce and french fries. Now that was good eat'en!
And now that I have mentioned the cafe let me recall one of my favorite stories. I believe it was Steve Chrisco, AJ and Dave Jacques and myself at the cafe one day and I was sitting in one of the booths when Henry and Ester Vaden were probably about 90 years old and Henry was almost blind. He was walking in the cafe and looking for Ester when he got real close to my face and said, "is that you Ester?". That put everyone into a full laughter and I of course respectfully answered, "nope, I am not Ester". The Vaden's were part of the culture driving to town every day to eat and their hired helper (don't recall his name) would lead the way warning folks they were coming. Now if you don't know, the challenge was they drove about 20 miles per hour all the time or slower and it did not matter what everyone else was doing. They had a 52 step side Ford (I think it was a ford) that was green and when they finally purchased a new one in about 1970 they ordered another step side Ford with nothing on it like power steering, radio, air conditioning, or power windows. They wanted it just like the old one and that is what they got. Very nice folks and a great part of our culture.
Another thing about the cafe that I fondly remember is David Howell, one of the smartest and fun guys in our class and a dry sense of humor, would be at the cafe handing out Life Savers for everyone as long as it was not cherry. You see David got the cherry ones. In fact he handed those things out to everyone everywhere as long as it was not a cherry Life Saver. David was friendly to everyone and seemed to be especially favored by the older folks who needed things fixed as David was always willing and able to fix/repair anything. I guess I am going to have to write some stories about David as he has provided me with some great memories, a lot like Johnny Payne.
Well back to the Shidler Tigers and Friday nights. Remember every week there was a competition for the spirit stick which was a dowel rod painted gold with blue ribbon wrapped around it like a candy cane? And one year or multiple years someone came up with the idea of a spirit jug. Every Friday we would have a pep rally with the band playing in the old gymnasium and the girls would cheer and everyone would get all pumped up for the game.
By the time the game was to start I think I could bite through steel. It always took a few plays for me to get over that nervous energy. Football was my favorite sport even though I was really too slow a runner. I loved the team, the energy of the school and our town. Dear old Shidler High!
What do you learn in the Osage?
- A tight nit community respects other folks property and respects people in general
- Knowing your neighbor at least by face and sharing experiences creates a moral fiber that binds us together forever
- Football would not be fun if it were not for everyone involved and I am grateful for the band members who never got their due reward and recognition and the cheer leaders and pep squad who worked hard, cheer leaders who lead the crowds and the fans who yelled and honked the horns
Thanks for your time,
gary@thepioneerman.com
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