CLOVIS REMEMBERED…..

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THE COUNTRY STORE AND PETTY'S BARBERSHOP

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by Richard and Bobby Joe

RICHARD:

Do you remember "The Country Store" on Grand Avenue? I worked there for Mrs. Patterson during my junior and senior years.  Worked 12 hours on each Saturday and Sunday.  She paid me $1.00 per hour.  It was a lot of money for a guy at that time.  $24 per week allowed me to date Marcia in a first class manner. I did get time off on the days that the Wildcats were traveling. I did enjoy the work.

I learned a lot about advertisIng from Mrs Pat.  She would have an item that was not selling and would normally cost 5 cents per can. She would have me make a big pile near the check out counter and put a sign. ON SALE: 6 cents each.  They would sell out in a very short time.

I was amazed.

I had another memory flash about the Country Store.  Mrs. Patterson was extremely fast in checking out customers. While sacking the groceries, I worked very hard to keep up with her.  I became very proficient at the job.  Occasionally I would get ahead and pick up an items which she had not processed.  She would slap my hand to put the item back.  It became a challenge. I tried to see how many times each day that I could get my hand slapped.  I think she enjoyed the game.

About the back door:  Several times a watermelon got "accidently" dropped on the floor during unloading.  Our friends would drop by for a sweet taste. Mrs. Pat thought that it was funny.

I used to get my haircuts at Petty’s.  He could do a flat-top as well as anyone.  If the Wildcats had won the night before my cut, he would not let me pay.  I loved going to Petty’s.  

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BOBBY JOE:

Those were the good old days.   Pat Patterson and Mrs. Patterson, hard working people.  I worked there about three years ahead of you, Richard.   I was really young and I only made 45 cents an hour and was glad to get it.   I feel sure the only reason Mr. Pat let me work is because my big brother Art worked there also.  

Actually, I was probably over-paid at that.  I should have paid them to work.   I learned a lot about working for the other man.  Prior to that, I pushed a lawn mower around the neighborhood drumming up mowing and trimming jobs for 50 cents to $1.00 a yard.   But at the Country Store, I spent a lot of time working the produce.  I remember farmers would bring in bushels of corn.  It was my job to whack the butt end off of the cob and whack another spot on the cob so that the ladies could pull a little of the shuck back and look at the corn.  Man-o-man what a learning experience.

Of course there was always a little fun time.   Mr. Pat always left those big back doors open to circulate the air through the store and you could see police department from the back door.   Well, being the mischievous kid that I was, I took my sling shot to work with me.  Anyway, we used to buy these silver ball-looking fire works and we called them torpedoes.  You could shoot them a long distance and when they landed they would explode.  

 At just the right time when I was working at the back of the store, I stretched the red rubbers on that sling shot to their max and aimed the torpedo almost straight up, hoping that it would land on the drive of the police station---------and it did! ! !   Perfect shot..........scared me to death because I suddenly realized that I could get in big trouble.  I peeked around the door and here came the COPS.  I ran to the front of the store and started sacking groceries.  The policemen came milling around looking at everyone and walking to the back of the store.  Of course, I had hid my sling shot very well and the Cops finally left, knowing that it was one of us boys that probably did the trick.  Whoa is me, never again, scared me to death.   Yeah, the good ole Country Store was quite a learning experience.  

Now talking about barber shops, the only one that I ever remember is  "Petty’s Barber Shop".    Dad would take Art and me to get a haircut, normally on Saturday morning,   As I remember, Petty’s was on the west side of Mitchell between Grand and the police station.  It was right by the Singer Sewing Machine Shop, which was owned by Mr. VanSycle, and that was way before Wayne graduated and started barbering.   Later Angus moved across the street in the same block and it seems like it was there forever.  Maybe the reason I remember much about going to the barber shop is because Dad bought a pair of manual hair clippers and he gave Art and me haircuts 'til we were older.   Sure wish I had those old clippers.  They would make a nice conversation piece in Mil’s attic. 

for Mil's Place, by Richard Drake and Bobby Joe Snipes

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Mil's Place
2/27/14