WHAT HAPPENS IN CLOVIS STAYS IN (ALL OVER) CLOVIS

by Richard Drake, guest writer

******CLOVIS REMEMBERED******

One Sunday morning the Clovis News Journal ran a story with an accompanying picture about an accident in the north part of town.   The report said that a south bound car coming from the direction of Grady had hit the large bill board located at the intersection of Commerce Way and Prince Street.  The large bill board had been damaged during the previous Friday evening.   According to the police report, it appeared that a south bound car hit the sign middle of that intersection.  The vehicle hit the sign directly in the center. The police said that personal injuries had not been reported and there was no evidence of the vehicle involved.  The police speculated that most likely it may have been a drunk driver or someone that had gone to sleep at the wheel, missed the turn, and hit the sign head on.

            The amazing part of the story was that the police had taken measurements and the vehicle had passed between two massive telephone size poles that supported the bill board.  There were wood parts scattered about the area indicating that it had been hit with a good force.  The report stated that there were less than two to three inches of clearance for a vehicle to pass between the poles without hitting one of them.  Someone had been very, very lucky.

Over sixty years have passed since the incident. The Statute of Limitations has expired so this story can be shared.  But, just in case, all names are withheld to protect the guilty.  What started out as innocent Friday night fun almost had serious consequences.

The next week there was a story whispered around Clovis High School.  As it was told to me, a group of boys were dragging Main in a pickup.  There were three in the front seat and two riding in the bed.  As usual, they were greeting every passing car.  There was one car of girls who were flirting with the boys.  After several passes, the girls were invited to join the boys.  Two of the girls sat on the laps of two of the boys in the front of the truck.  It was packed full and away they went.

Tiring of Main street, they continued North on Commerce Way.  The driver attempted a hard right turn onto Prince Street.  The speed was too much and the momentum of the shifting crowd in the front seat pinned the driver and his left arm against his door.   His right hand was lodged under leg of the passenger next to him.  His foot slipped off of the brake pedal.  Before any recovery action could be taken the truck hit the billboard head on.  Wood flew everywhere.  After a quick stop, it was determined that no one was hurt.  The boys in the back did have a good scare as the wood fragments flew over them.  Much to everyone’s surprise a survey of the truck showed no damage.  A quick decision was made to leave the area.  Promises were made that the group would keep the identities “secret”.   This was a problem. In those days, what happened “in Clovis” stayed all “over Clovis”.   The Clovis News Journal had a weekly column, “Bits from Bess” written by a classmate which reported all of the gossip from the high school.  It never printed inside story of the accident.

After reading the story in the paper the boys revisited the scene.  They were amazed at just how lucky they had been.  Never again did they let more than three people sit in the front and they did slow down while driving.

For Mil's Place

Richard Drake, CHS Class of '53