FIRST TRIP !

What kind of a trip would a child of 2 years, 7 months remember? It was the day our family moved from Gibbs, Missouri, to Lucerne, Missouri: March 1, 1942.

I remember standing inside of the wire fence that surrounded our house at the farm home where I was born, 2 miles south of Gibbs, Missouri, and watching Dad and other men load the horses and cattle onto a truck. There was a lot of noise and yelling, as the horses and cattle protested their being loaded onto the truck. No doubt the main reason I remember that day is because I was shut inside the yard fence and couldn't be closer to the action.

Then when the horses and cattle were loaded, we followed the truck in our 1937 Chevrolet, pulling a four-wheeled wagon loaded down with farm equipment. That was not remarkable for me at the time, but the way I rode in the car was! The car was packed to the gills with household goods and my baby crib mattress was stacked on top. I was then placed on top of the mattress with my back practically touching the ceiling of the car.

What I remember is lying there, looking out of the top of the car windows as we moved to the new farm, 7 miles southeast of Lucerne. Since 1942 I have traveled and lived in many parts of the world, but this first trip of only 68 miles is still one of the most memorable.