Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Keith Davison - Retreat From Dave's Place
Dave's Place, which was a hamburger joint and 24 hour restaurant at 136th S.W. and First Avenue, was a hangout for many of our gang. Remember those soft drink machines which were filled with cold water and ice? Well Dave had one of them just outside the back door, but it was the type you were supposed to get your drink and go inside and pay. (The honor system). In about the ninth or tenth grade on a Friday or Saturday night a bunch of Puget Sound Jr. high guys were "hanging out" in the vicinity of the pop machine. Joining us were some bad guys from White Center (and Highline Junior High), Don Soroe and Chuck Darchuck with possibly others. Don Keppler, Mick Stewart, Jimmy Graham, Gordy Ringoen, myself and some others were present. Well, Darchuck stole some quart bottles of pop and passed them around the circle to share.
I was standing facing the door to Dave's. Gordy was standing directly across the circle with his back to the door. All of a sudden the door burst open and Dave himself came out on the dead run hurling curses at "the little bastards" stealing his soda pop. We all scattered. But Gordy was the last to react because he did not have a clue what was happening.
Now maybe you remember how Gordy used to run. With his knees pumping very high and he was not very fast. Dave on the other hand, was a long lanky guy and had been a long distance runner in school. He was right on Gordy's tail block after block saying, "just wait til I get my hands on you you little SOB." And other epithets and threats. Gordy finally made it to the scotchbroom and weeds in a vacant field about ten blocks away and collapsed, unable to run another step. Fortunately for Gordo, Dave did not find him in the weeds.
Also, I heard from Gordy and he says my memory is accurate. That he could move his legs up and down pretty fast but that he never seemed to get anywhere.
I was standing facing the door to Dave's. Gordy was standing directly across the circle with his back to the door. All of a sudden the door burst open and Dave himself came out on the dead run hurling curses at "the little bastards" stealing his soda pop. We all scattered. But Gordy was the last to react because he did not have a clue what was happening.
Now maybe you remember how Gordy used to run. With his knees pumping very high and he was not very fast. Dave on the other hand, was a long lanky guy and had been a long distance runner in school. He was right on Gordy's tail block after block saying, "just wait til I get my hands on you you little SOB." And other epithets and threats. Gordy finally made it to the scotchbroom and weeds in a vacant field about ten blocks away and collapsed, unable to run another step. Fortunately for Gordo, Dave did not find him in the weeds.
Also, I heard from Gordy and he says my memory is accurate. That he could move his legs up and down pretty fast but that he never seemed to get anywhere.
