The Life of a Hitch-Hiker

By Jeremiah Smythe

I Glenn L. Smith: The years go by, time waits for no one, and I learned. From my start, Born on a Farm one could always find something to do. A very high Fever caused me to be Labeled as Retarded, and it took many years to outgrow that. Then the Beating's I received left permanent Bone Damage, 7 Areas. Those all show on C-TScan, they were bad. I was Driving a Motel T Ford by age 8, a Farmall Tractor by age 9, and the list goes on. I collapsed from heat at 11, and Rheumatic Fever at 14. I was Loading a Bundle Rack by age 12, Life was not easy for me. When I turned 18, and knew they could not send the Sheriff, I packed my Clothes and was on the Road. At 18 I took an Air-Force Test, my IQ was 142, Heart Damage, I Failed.
Hitch-Hiking around, working in Cafe's, Driving Big Rigs, seeing the World. That life was not easy, but you became Educated Fast. I could do most anything, and never said no to any problem. Combining Wheat and Flax when you worked 12 to 15 hours a day, I had to learn to Pace myself, I had Heart Problems, so know your limit.
I met and Married a Lovely Lady, we had four Children, that was what we both wanted, and they are all wonderful to their parents, I thank GOD. I was able to become a Design Engineer, and my proudest Achievement was the Inboard-Motor-Boat-Drive, that has Covered all of the world. When I look back and remember the Label, and the fact that I could do so much, and produce a wonderful Life, I can only Say; THANK YOU LORD.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 29, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483613260

Jeremiah Smythe

I Glenn L. Smith, Have had an Interesting Life, I was born on a Burt Iowa Farm, July 1st 1925. Before 3 Months, I Contracted Whooping Cough, and Scarlet Fever, Simultaneously. The Doctor said, IF he survives, he will be Retarded, that was the Label I lived with most of my Growing years I was Beaten, Battered, and Abused, and the Bone Damage from the Beatings, I will carry to my Grave.I started School at age five, the Teacher said no Retard's, but was told Teach me or else. My third Grade Teacher was a Gift from Heaven, I could Recite the Multiplication Tables 12 -12, I was learning fast then. My Eighth Grade teacher was Wonderful, she heard I was not to go to High School. She went to the County Attorney, I went to High School. When I had the last Report Card, I found an old Suitcase, loaded my belongings and crawled on a Freight Train. From that I started HitchHiking West. Going Weston highway 30, then down to Denver. My oldest Sister was Married to an Air-Force Pilot, who was in England. We went Skating at the Mammoth Gardens, that was really something. Then I headed for California, that took three days. I walked into a Cafe, was told, "do you want a Job". I worked there several months, then left. I traveled to Phoenix, there was no Work there, so I started off again. I was picked up by a Traveling Combine Owner, and went to work on the Long treck, Texas to Saskatchewan. While Combining in Kansas, I met a Lovely young Lady, and came back to her. From then on Life was much better. We Raised Two Boys and. Two girls, my life was fulfilled. I had it all, a Lovely wife and great Family. When you are Abused, it changes your Life, Overcoming that can be very Difficult. I had to work very hard most of my life, but it was worth it!

Book preview

The Life of a

Hitch-Hiker

JEREMIAH SMYTHE

Copyright © 2013 by Jeremiah Smythe.

ISBN:      Softcover      978-1-4836-1325-3

                Ebook            978-1-4836-1326-0

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Rev. date: 08/19/2013

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Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty Eight

Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty One

Chapter Thirty Two

Chapter One

It was a beautiful summer day, July 1st of 1925, and about four that afternoon, a Beautiful Baby Boy was born. His start in life was not uneventful, since his mother had not wanted another Child. He was Named after two Uncles, one from each side of the Family. The First was after his mothers brother Leroy. The Second was his fathers in law, Glenn, then the last name Arnold. The Name, Leroy Glenn Arnold was the choice, and it stayed.

This little boy was less than Three months old, when he contacted Scarlet Fever,and Whopping Cough, simultaneously. The Doctor told the parents, that if he survived, he would be Retarded. That was the Label that he lived with for many years of plain hell.

His Mother did not want a retarded child, and she treated him as such, not good. He received many beatings over the years, and some of the Marks, he will carry to his grave. Since it was smart to stay away from the house, Lee found other things of interest. There was a Junked Ford Engine and Transmission in the Grove, Lee ask his Father, if he could junk that entire Assembly. That was a Project for a Six and Seven year old Boy, but he succeeded. There were other projects, like Making some Toys from Cheese boxes, Wooden Tractors, One Threshing Machine, Complete with Wooden Pulleys. A Farm on a Board, with Nails for fence. When a Child had an imagination, there was lots of Prospective things to Enlarge their Mind. Lee loved to spend time in the Grove, listening to the Song Birds, most were really beautiful.

Lee was Five when he started School, and the first day, He was assigned some Farm Chores. When he started School, the Teacher sent a Note home with his older Brother, telling the Parents to leave him home. She was not going to teach any Retard’s in her Classroom.

The School was controlled by a Director, He took Lee to School the next day, and the Teacher was given to understand, that she would Teach him. Having such a bad handicap as what he carried was a problem. Living and knowing he was different, made him look at the world from a Different direction. Having an undeserved Label like he had, made him subject to much ridicule, and that would really hurt such a small boy, it was just plain hell.

February of 1933, Lee’s Father and Two Neighbors were sawing fire wood, it had Sleeted so the Ground was Icy in spots. Lee’s Father stepped on an Icy Spot, and slid into the Saw Blade that was still Spinning. The Blade was turning the correct direction. so it threw him away. The Gash down his Leg was 17 inches long, and passed just to the side of the Sciatic Nerve. The Doctor came and began to repair the Damage. The Cut was Jagged and had to be Dressed to remove the Loose Damaged Flesh. Lee was home from School that day, and helped the Doctor. Lee felt like Fainting, but he knew he would get a Whipping if he did. He handed the tools to the Doctor, threaded the Needles to make the Repair, and the Tears fell down his checks. He wiped them away with his Shirt Sleeve. Everything he touched was very Bloody and it bothered him greatly. He just knew he had no choice, he had to help Save his Father. He would look up and ask GOD to help him. The feeling of helplessness