From ice cream freezers…to 4-H…to “Call 911!” You can’t make these stories up!
by Pennie Ransom-Ward
These Ransom memories are continued from the December issue of Stockbridge Community News.
There were so many fun times over the years, from moving a customer’s car that was left running in the parking lot to putting things in a customer’s grocery cart when they were not looking. Of course, there was the FAMOUS drop of a stainless steel meat tray behind your back. The accompanying, “DAMN you, John!” could be heard throughout the store!
And don’t ever challenge John. If you don’t believe this, ask Roger Procter. Long story short, Roger challenged John with, “You can’t put me in that ice cream freezer.” The next thing Roger knew, he was lying flat out on top of the ice cream! Thinking back, I can recall the assembly line of young men taking beer out the back door, and guess who was the at the end of the line? BUSTED! You guessed it, it was John! I think I would have wanted the cops called instead of having my parents find out! There’s no need to give names, you know who you are, and you’re all in your mid-fifties by now! John never missed a beat; he was always one step ahead of all his employees. And I’m sure there are shenanigans he will never know about.
I remember John would also go to the Livestock auction to buy 4-H animals for the meat case, including Anita and Jim Dancer’s steers and many other 4-H animal projects. And let’s not forget the donkey basketball games with many local business owners playing. Or the Womenless Wedding play—with Beverly Caskey in charge? John was Minnie Pearl one year and another time he was one of the three little bad boys, with his “brothers,” Stan Dailey and Dave Glenn. Remember the basketball hoop that John put up at the store parking lot for all to enjoy?
When mom broke her ankle back in 2000, she would still come to work in her wheelchair and wheel up front from the bakery balancing donuts on a tray so customers would not be disappointed. And here’s a special memory: Mom fell out of the office and broke her ankle one early morning when the store was closed and she was doing the morning’s baking. My poor Mom laid there for quite some time, waiting for someone to come in and open for the day. Finally John and the crew arrived calling for mom (aka Leona). They could hear her but not see her as she was lying on the floor behind the counter. Then they spotted her and all hell breaks loose, total panic! Someone yells to DeEtta, “Call 911!” and DeEtta yells back, “What’s the number?” Of course, at the time it was not funny, but now it’s a funny story because Mom was ok and needed only a few nuts and screws. Then she was good as new. To this day, every time I here “911” I chuckle to myself as I recall, “What’s the number?”
And on a serious note, thank you to all the past and present employees who were always there to help if there was a family emergency.
Stay tuned for one more Ransom memory installment in the February edition of Stockbridge Community News.
