An Excerpt From the true story

From Freight Trains to Airplanes

The railroad tracks and trains went through our town; I was always watching the Hobos and often wondered where they were going. I was always dreaming of a new life as a cowboy.

I left school and home, about half way into the seventh grade at age thirteen to go out into the world to be a "cowboy" or, really anything, just to get away from school and away from my miserable home life. My mother was a very mean and domineering woman; she used a bullwhip on me whenever she got frustrated. Just before I left, I cut up the bullwhip in small pieces and left it where my mother could find it.  

 
I started off riding the freight trains to various parts of the western United States, stopping only long enough to canvas houses to cut wood or anything else to get a meal. I was willing to work.

I was sitting on top of a boxcar, somewhere in California. I was fourteen years old at the time. It was getting dark, and as the train was slowly going by a town, I looked across to the houses. I saw Christmas tree lights and decorations around the eaves and in windows. I could see children playing. I was sobbing uncontrollable, as I always wanted a happy Christmas Day when I was a child.

Toward 11:00 a.m. the next day I could hear my stomach growling. The longer I sat there, the hungrier I got. I looked to some houses near the tracks.

I'm going to ask for work so that I could earn some food, I thought. A woman came to the door. She looked me up and down. I was aware of the dirty condition of my clothes and shoes. I wanted to run, but my hunger was stronger than my shame. Lady, I am awfully hungry do you have some work that I can do so that I may earn some food? She looked me up and down again. She said how does some scrambled eggs and ham sandwich sound? I said, Wow that would be great! She said wait here. She went back into the house for a short while and came out with two sandwiches, I thanked her very much for her kindness and left. I ate one and put the other in my pocket for a later time.

Some people were very kind to me and others were very mean. This taught me a lesson, treat people, as you would like to be treated.

After many years of searching for that ideal job With still no formal education I ended up as a manufacturer of two-way radio equipment for the amateur and commercial market place.