From a very early age, I remember my Mom pulling my wagon to Humarock from our home in Seaview, to visit with her sister Margie. My Dad attached a box onto the wagon and I fit inside. It was a long bumpy ride. The roads were not paved as smooth as they are today (later in my youth, I was always frustrated trying to roller skate on the rough Seaview streets).
As we came over the knoll on Sea Street, Humarock came into view with the old wooden bridge to cross. During one of these trips across the bridge, my wagon wheel slipped down in between the boards, and my Mom couldn’t pull it out. She had me get out and we tugged at it — to no avail. I was pretty scared and in tears. My Mom took hold of me and across the bridge we went, leaving my wagon behind. She knew where help would be.
Into the Humarock Garage we went, to ask her friend Dick Smith, the owner, for help. He said, “Sure, Ruthie.” He came out with a pry bar and off we went back to the wagon. One pry and out it came. My wagon was saved!
Mr. Smith told my Mom not to use the wagon, with its narrow wheels, on the sidewalk — to use the roadway instead, because the boards went the other way and so the wheels would not get stuck.
Mr. Smith, Mom, & I in my wagon were now off the sidewalk and on our way to visit with my aunt Marge. I don’t remember any of the visit, but I do remember the trip back across the bridge. We now were in the roadway, past the hump, and almost off, when a car came along and the driver hollered at us to get off the roadway and onto the sidewalk! My Mom hollered back at him and told him to go-somewhere! There was quite a bit of talk — about that person — at the supper table that night with Mom & Dad. Mom knew who the driver was that hollered at us, but she never told Dad.
Mr. Smith. I so remember him. His sister Julia lived next door to us on seaview. Those were the days!