Monday, July 7, 2014
I first became attached to the Craft family when in the 7th grade Minerva was my english teacher. This was my 6th period class and as it was my last class of the day, Nancy came to the room to ride home with her mother, this is where I first met her. At football games later Nancy and I would talk to Linda at the football games where she was a majorette, this i where i first met Linda. Nancy and I later worked at the YMCA for many years where we became very close friends. Being around Nancy so much I got to know Watson. Later I went to college at Morehead State University where I met Minervas brother Reedus Back who was head of the Education Department, also my favorite teacher in the art department Doug Adams who grew up with the Crafts and Backs in Letcher County. So I had many connections with the Crafts.
Much of my growing up was spent around and influenced by the Craft family.
So the joke!
When we were in High School it was not like today. We had dress codes. Boys had to have a collar on their shirt, long pants (no shorts), no hair touching your ears, and lastly you had to wear socks.
Being young and testing authority we use to try to make it through the day without wearing socks. You know, to get over on the system. Gee weren't we daring, hardened criminals.
Well, this was when Watson was asstiant principal at Boone County High School.
I was in my third periond typing class when the teacher Ms Ison saw I was without sock upon my boney ankles. With such a awful thing to happen in the confines of a school she sent me directly to the office to see Mr Craft. Watson took me into the office and sat me down. The conversation went something like this.
"Elmer where are your socks", "I don't have any", "Don't you have a pair in your gym locker", He knowing full well that I probably did. My answer was "Nope". He was smiling his sheepish grin all the while. "Well you cant stay here in school with no socks". "You need to go home and get you a pair of sock and come back to my office before you return to class". Him knowing that I drove to school as I picked up Nancy at their house all the time to take her to the Y for work. He all the while smilling. By the time this took place, time elapsed and we were into 4th period, my lunch period.
So I left school, got into my car, drove home and got a pair of socks. I then promptly drove to Burger Chef ate a burger and fries for lunch. Not cafeteria food for me that day.
I returned to Watsons office and pruodly showed him my spindly feet and ankles now clad in a fresh pair of socks. He looked at me, smile still in tact, knowing fully that I had a side trip for lunch as the trip was quit extended. His ending reply, "Elmer dont do this to me again, now get yourself back to class".
I have thought about this for years. It took place in the spring of 1968. I saw Watson many times after this at his home. We never spoke of this.
I have always felt a little quilty of what I did that day. I knew, I think, that I was taking advantage of the situation of Watson and my outside of school relationship. I felt he would make it easier on me than he would someone else you pulled this stunt.
Thats where the smile, which he never lost through the whole situation, came into place. He knew I was playing a game and he played along to humor me. He got my Joke.
