The True Book of Mostly Unrelated Stories

The Art of Getting Stuck

by John Mooy

   I have a collage of old black and white pictures that were taken by my Dad during times he managed to get his car “stuck” while delivering mail to his patrons during the winter time. He was very adept at maneuvering his car through snow, drifts, and unplowed

roads. He was successful most of the time. Here in Michigan, we know that most likely we will get stuck at some point during the

snowy season.

   I too have had my share of times being stuck in the snow. Usually as soon as it happens I’ve said to myself, “I should have known better than to do that but did it anyway.” In the early years of our driving careers, it was always a challenge to plow through the snow drifts and watch the snow fly every which way. The snow on the pavement provided us the opportunity to practice what we had learned in our driving class with Miss Cobb when we were taught to steer the car in the direction of the slide if that happened.  And to make certain after we had gone through deep snow to pump the brakes as they were most likely wet which rendered the brakes somewhat ineffective until they dried. Nothing quite like the feeling of coming up to a stop sign, pushing on the brakes and having nothing happen. And that did happen one wintry night just outside of Marcellus. It was memorable to say the least.

   I was with some friends on a Saturday evening and it was near the bewitching hour and we happened to be driving through a fair amount of snow on a country road. I recall who was driving but I’m choosing not to reveal that fact. As we cruised along seated in the comfort of an old gray Chevrolet we were warm with the heater on full blast. I had a clear view of what was happening outside as I was in the “cherished” shot gun position of the car. For those of you who don’t recognize that term it means, I was in the front seat next to the window. The headlights revealed a stop sign and a T in the road just ahead.  We were moving along no more than forty miles an hour as the driver began to press on the brakes. Unfortunately, nothing happened.

Wet brakes. I watched as we slid past the sign, down through a ditch and crashed through a wooden fence before coming to a stop. No one was hurt.

   As we sat there with the headlights still on, we noticed something moving outside the car – cows – and they were walking through the hole we had just made in the fence. Now what! Lights went on in the nearby farmhouse. This could be trouble. Fortunately, the man who was approaching was a family man who had children, some of them boys. Why it was none other than Lyle Gray.

   We all knew Lyle, of course, and what I’ll always remember about this incident was he didn’t appear to be the least bit mad or,upset. So together we herded the cows back into the pasture area, pushed the car back out onto the road. We rigged the boards,up to prevent the cows from another escape. All in a night’s adventure for these boys from Marcellus.

   Several years later I worked a summer with Lyle at Tailormade  and enjoyed him very much. He had an understated sense of humor, and a powerful handshake. Another one of the Marcellus good guys.

   Back to another stuck in the snow story involving Dad and Bob Powers. On occasion Dad would have people ride along with him on the mail route.  So, Bob went with him one snowy morning and they managed to get stuck in front of Evalo and Harley Moorlag’s house. Dad gave the mail to Bob and asked him to take it up to the house, come back, and they’d get the car out of the drift. Off went Bob. Dad sat in the car and waited. Bob’s return was a bit slow and when he returned Dad asked him what took so long.  “Well,” Bob said, “When I got to the house they were having pancakes and they invited me in to eat with them, so I did.” 

   So perhaps in the time of winter in Marcellus getting stuck is just another opportunity for small town adventures.

Have a great week Marcellus.

You’re the best.

And you’re “stuck” in a great place.