Page 82 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2022 - Online Magazine
P. 82
Harry Mayes
Red-Blooded American
Excerpts chosen by a son from the “History of Harry
Mayes & Family” by Harry Mayes circa 1990
the street.
My older Insert by his son:
brother, Dad went to Oklahoma University and
Gene, was in Naval ROTC. World War II was
and I did going on, and Dad told us that one day
this a few he went to ROTC class. The officer told
summers. all the students, “This doesn’t put you in
We bought the Navy or anything, but everyone stand
the papers up, raise your right hand and repeat after
for two me.” He was sworn in.
cents and
sold them
for three. of trouble. Delivering papers
When Gene got at 4:30 every morning, and also
a paper route at after school, depleted some of our
the minimum age excess energy.
requirement of After pre-submarine school in
eleven, he and I San Diego and submarine school
worked it 50-50 in New London, my assignment
t all started in 1923 when I was until I was old was to San Diego again for nine
born in Shawnee, Oklahoma. enough to have my own route. months on a submarine tender.
IMy mother said my birthplace We delivered papers through Every six months, we had to
was in Tecumseh, but I was there high school and into college. request our next choice of duty.
and should know; she was not Gene became the station manager I always requested combat duty
herself and in pain. When I grew and assigned me the largest and (as any red-blooded American
up enough to do something toughest route in town because would). My choice for combat was
requiring a birth certificate, such nobody else would take it. denied each time. I was forced to
as joining the Navy in World When I was eleven and in the live in Hawaii for a year, working
War II, there was no birth record, fifth grade, my mother decided to eight hours every other day and
so I declared my birthplace as I divorce, and our dad moved his off on weekends.
remembered it, Shawnee. office from downtown and made
Some of my memories are the living room his office where In 1948, the “establishment” in
Lubbock immediately accepted
imbedded in my mind in vivid he could keep tab on us boys. He me with open arms, and it was
color, like the first time my was a very persuasive person a very good sociable crowd.
mother was to meet her new and turned me from trouble to Among the friends was O.P.
sister-in-law. Mother had baked persistent determination to do Harlan, who left his employer
a cake, and when she proudly what was right. to start his own business. He
uncovered it to serve her guest, Childhood was a tough time for asked me to join him as a full
shall we say she was chagrined Harry the Hooligan, who was partner. I bought in about three
that “you know who”, with his sometimes sent to the principal’s months after marriage to Peggy.
sticky fingers, had eaten most of office for behavioral problems. Our business grew for 18 years,
the icing off the top. (Still have a It is interesting to see how much when we split the business and
sweet tooth.) more enjoyable life became in each took half as our separate
At age seven, my business career later years, probably as a result companies. (Ed. Note: 4M
dealt in commercial mechanical
started in downtown Oklahoma of my father’s strong training. equipment.) This turned out well
City, selling newspapers on He kept us busy to keep us out
82 Lubbock Senior Link
