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Remembering Scotty McCuddy Page 2
By Robert L. Gruner
In the middle 60’s when Scotty and Helen were newly
wed and lived in Memphis, they needed a place to stay until Scotty could get a job
and a place Of their own. He was freshly out of the Army. I had a large home so we
were happy to have them move in with us and stay as long as they wanted to.
When Scotty found a temporary job at an automotive service station, he worked long
and hard hours so when
He got home and went to sleep it was instant dreamland for him. Well being the kind
Of person I am, and having a hobby in electronics I hooked up a nice 100-watt audio
Amplifier to a 20-inch speaker driver system. That’s the kind of PA speaker used at
stadiums and large outdoor gatherings where extremely loud sounds are needed.
To that I connected an old vinyl record turntable to play a record from the second
World war days, and named, “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition.”
You can only imagine the speed with which Scotty awakened and nearly bounced up
to the ceiling when the music started and the speaker was placed in the doorway at
the head Of the bed about a foot from his head. Once again I laughed and laughed
and we all laughed except Scotty. He looked at me, shook his head slowly from side
to side and In that Kentucky drawl said, “Paybacks are Hell! Just remember what
I’m saying cause One day I will get you back.”
Nearly ten years passed before he got his chance to have his “PAYBACK.”
He and Helen had moved to their own place and everything had settled to a more or
less normal Existence for each of us. One evening I was in my basement workroom
where I kept My ham radio station. I was either on the radio or working on one when
Helen and Scotty arrived. I wasn’t aware of their arrival at that time.
My first knowledge of Them being there was when a terribly loud explosion occurred
right under my chair at my feet. I could feel the pressure wave on my shoes when it
exploded. I jumped off the chair with such force that it sent the chair rolling across
the room and I was nearly airborne. Before I had a chance to
look around I heard the words,
“PAYBACK’S HELL, I told you,PAYBACKS ARE HELL.”
That was another episode that we liked to hash over for the next few years. We would
Always discuss who was the most scared, Scotty and the Music or me and the Cherry
Bomb.
Those are just a few of the memories of past days that are still vivid in my slowly
diminishing stack of events that make up my lifetime.
It would require a lifetime for anyone to write of all the small events of their lives and
Most folk don’t find those kinds of memories very fulfilling to them. It depends on the
Person and their own validation needs.
Bob G-75-33
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