The Fishing Pole-Dodge City, Kansas
/Another story from my Dad. He was born in 1930. His dad in 1889 and his dad, 1854.
Here is a new story:
My brother Ken,the head of the "secret society" or mafia or whatever it was called decided he needed a new fishing rod and had cased out the May Drug Store sports department and found exactly what he was wanting. It was a wooden casting rod. I have never seen one like it before or since. Anyway he came by some money somehow, and asked if he could buy the rod. After considerable coercing, my parents gave him permission. He talked me into taking him to the store in our family car and he purchased the rod, which came with a reel.
He was so excited with his new rod that he asked me to go to our father's office so he could show the rod off. We went into the office and my father and his assistant made over the rod to Ken's satisfaction. While all this commotion was going on an elderly friend of my father came through the door. He joined in the admiration of the rod and asked to see it, and Ken handed it to the old gentleman who proceeded to pretend to cast with it while standing in a doorway and hit the lintel and broke the rod. Both Ken and old man almost cried, and the old fellow just handed the rod to Ken. He did end up digging around in his billfold and gave Ken money for a new one. These "secret societies" are just not what they're cracked up to be.