From Larry Hackman (66):
Gary
Back in the sixties a salesman came to Dunseith and as he went about his business he passed out business cards to employers and employees. What was unusual about these cards was that they did not give you the name of the salesman or the business he represented. These cards, if you accepted one, automaticly made you a member of the Turtle Club.
On this particularily nice sunny day my mother and I came out of the Crystal Cafe and were about to get into her 1958 red and white Oldsmobile that was parked in front of the Garden Tap. That Oldsmobile was a beautiful car that was first owned by Paul and Amelia Dacoteau. Real nice people that had bought the car new and had kept it in mint condition while they owned it. My mother had bought it second hand from a auto dealership.
My mother and I, were about to get into the car when Joe Morinville standing in the doorway of his store across the street, hollered at my mother. Marian, he yelled, ARE YOU A TURTLE? My mother’s face got a little red, as she took a quick a look around at all the other people on Main. Everyone had stopped and were all focused on her. Time seemed to stand still as they all waited for her reply. My mother looked back at Joe and shouted, You bet your sweet ass I’m a turtle. Then we both jumped into the car and got out of there. Looking back I could see, that Joe was bent over laughing. My mother was laughing so hard, that she could hardly drive. I was looking at her and we got home and into the driveway and she stopped laughing, she looked back at me, and said, I’m not nuts.
She reached into her purse and took out a business card, and handed to me. The card stated that she was a member of the TURTLE CLUB.
The rules were on the back of the card. To greet a fellow member. you are to ask, ARE YOU A TURTLE? Your reply,
if you are a card carrying member is to be, YOU BET YOUR SWEET ASS I’M A TURTLE, ASK ME AGAIN IF I’M A TURTLE! So, as you can see that this would be a guestioning and answering session with no end in sight. No wonder my mother wanted to get out of there, and its no wonder that Joe took advantage of the location. I can just emagine Joe, laughing and explaining to everyone on main, what had just happened. People really knew how to have fun back then, Didn’t they? My mother kept the card in her purse and every time she came across it, she would start laughing and had to tell us again, the story about Joe Morinville asking her if she was a turtle.
ARE YOU A TURTLE?
larry
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Gary and Friends
Hearing from Don Conroy made me think of this story. Dad, Don
Johnson, as you know taught under Ed Conroy. Ed was our
respected superintendent at DHS for many years and then served
as principal for a few more years. The story goes, Dad wore toe
rubbers on his dress shoes. For those who don’t know what these
are, they basically cover only the soles and about an inch up
on the shoes all around. Well, Ed would keep putting on Dad’s
and then going home. When Dad was ready to go Ed’s were still
there and his were gone. Now dad couldn’t wear Ed”s because
they were too big but Ed could stretch Dads on. After a few
times, Dad wrote his name in the inside in big letters so Ed
certainly would see it when he went to put them on. Wrong!! The
next day they were gone again. Dad said “what can I do to
correct this” to Gene Hepper, another teacher and coach. Hep
said he thought he knew what to do and would take care of it.
When Dad went to put on his rubbers later, on the inside it
said “Don Johnson OR Ed Conroy!! Everybody had a laugh!!
Dick
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