______________________________ SATURDAY, AUGUST 13th, 1960
That Saturday morning started out to what would be a sunny and windy day. Though a windy day it was already shaping up to be, it was never the less sunny...And still being the middle of August, it was a warm day. In fact, it was to be hot later in the day, thus the wind would actually be a good thing by the afternoon. As Al, Marge and the cubs were having breakfast, Jed, Rex, Clarence and Donna were looking forward to a fun day of play. And being it was a Saturday, it was a day Al had off from work, thus he and Marge could spend the day with the cubs. "This looks like a good day to fly our kites", Jed suggested. "And not near the trees and power lines", Mama Marge reminded Jed. "I'm up for kite flying today", Rex added as Clarence and Donna agreed. "I still have that big spool of twine", Daddy Al mentioned. It was then the wall mounted phone in the dining room rang, the call coming in at 6: 21 am. "I'll get it", Al said as he got up to answer the phone. "Hello", Al answered. On the other end, Al heard, "Hello. This is Sam Cougar with Southern Pacific. Am I speaking with Albert Rhonson Coyote?". "That's me", Al replied. Sam Cougar then informed Al, "A go kart you ordered earlier this week from Western Auto in Albuquerque. It will be arriving by train here in Duran in about 14 minutes". "That's short notice", Al said to Sam Cougar. "I know. We weren't expecting it to arrive until Monday", Sam said to Al. "It's arriving on a southbound at about 6:35. It's due to stop here...in...about 13 minutes from now". "We'll be right over", said Al. "I'll be waiting here at the freight house", Sam replied just before they hung up. "What is it?", Marge asked. "The go kart is coming in on the train in 12 minutes", Al answered as the cubs cheered. "Oh boy! The go kart!", Rex proclaimed. "We can have races with Ryan Lynx now", Jed added. "Will the train actually stop and drop it off here?", Donna asked. "Over at the freight house", Al replied to Donna. "We should get going now", Marge suggested. With that said, everyone got into the Plymouth station wagon to ride over to the freight house where Sam Cougar was waiting for them...As for breakfast not being finished, that could wait. As Marge started up the car, Clarence mentioned, "I've never drove a go kart before". "Well, you'll have your chance now", Al assured Clarence. The community of Duran is not a big place, thus it was only the distance of a couple of blocks to the Southern Pacific freight house. Upon arriving to the freight house, the Coyote Coyote family was greeted by Sam Cougar. "The train should be here in another 5 minutes", Sam Cougar mentioned. "That's cool we're getting our go kart this early", Rex said. "There's other freight being delivered here too with this stop. And that too earlier than we even thought", Sam Cougar replied. "I got the call from dispatch only a while ago, and had to hurry on my way from Corona to be here in time". "Isn't that the same train that goes by every morning when we use to wait for the school bus?", Clarence asked. "The very one", Al said to Clarence. "But it's making a stop today to drop off a delivery". Just then, a neighbor, and a neighbor fox couple with their cubs, arrived to recieve crates they were expecting to arrive. They got the phone calls from Sam Cougar just before Al and Marge did. The Coyote Family knew the neighbor fox couple. They were the parents of Randy, Connie and Alvin fox. The fox family was there to pick up a commercial grade swing set coming in on the train. "We're finally getting our go kart Dad ordered", Jed Coyote said to Randy Fox. "Oh wow. Cool", Randy Fox replied, then mentioned to Jed, "We're getting one of those swing sets like the public parks have". "It will be a lot better than those junky ones the stores have", Randy's sister Connie added. Zachery Bobcat was there too to sign for several crates of merchandise the W. M Hindi store is getting. "There's the light down the tracks now", Zachery Bobcat mentioned. "Right on time too", Sam Cougar added. "Is this the first time a train has ever stopped here", Clarence asked. "We've seen trains drop off and pick up stuff here before", Jed answered Clarence. "If a train never stopped here before, this freight house wouldn't be here", Sam Cougar said to Clarence...which of course was a no brainer. As the train, which had already slowed down, came closer, the signal lights and bells at the Route 3 crossing began to flash and clang. And finally, the locomotive crew, a bear and a wolf, brought the train to a stop where the lead locomotive of the two locomotives was at the platform of the freight house. Clarence had seen freight stops before at a distance in the 21st Century in Vaughn. But this was the first time Clarence had seen a freight stop close up. "Can we get a closer look at the engines", Donna asked as everyone were standing on the platform. "That would be cool", Clarence said. "Can we too", Randy Fox's sister, Connie asked. "We're close enough", Marge replied. "That's right", the mother of the fox cubs added. "Trains are big, and can be dangerous", Sam Cougar advised the cubs. The bear in the cab of the locomotive then pawed the cargo invoices for the delivery down to Sam Cougar who already had his big key ring with him to unlock the box car. "The cargo being delivered here is all in the same box car", The bear replied. "It's Southern Pacific car number 38462. It should be about 20 cars or so back". "That should make it easy", Sam Cougar replied as he observed the box car number on the invoices, then said, "I'll signal you to stop when I see the car approaching". "Okay. Ease it on up", the bear said to the wolf. The wolf then gave two toots on the locomotive's horn, then began to slowly advance the train foward as the bear watched back for Sam Cougar to signal. "Wow, that horn's loud", Randy Fox proclaimed. "Yea, you said it", Jed Coyote agreed. The train continued very slowly as Sam Cougar observed the box car numbers. Then three tanker cars slowly rolled by, followed by a flatbed car carrying a huge power station transformer, and followed by another flatbed car with two semi trailers on it. Then more box cars, including a Santa Fe box car and two Union Pacific box cars. "Here it is", Sam Cougar said as Southern Pacific box car number 38462 approached. Sam signaled, waving his arms in a criss-cross motion to the bear up ahead in the locomotive to stop the train. The train then stopped, with the brief sound of brakes squeaking, bringing box car 38462 barely short of the platform. "Oops. Too soon", Randy Fox remarked. "A little closer", Donna added as she motioned with her paws 'come here' to the box car. "Our go kart's waiting and raring to go". As everyone got a laugh out of Danna's gesture, Sam Cougar assured Donna, "It's getting here". Sam then extended his arm up in a slow circular motion to signal the bear to move the train up a little more. Two toots were sounded on the horn, followed by the train gradually moving up. Once box car 38462 slowly advanced up beside the platform, Sam Cougar signaled the train to stop. With a very brief squeak of the brakes, the train was now stopped. "Let me see...Which key I'll need", Sam said as he checked the lock number of the padlock securing the box car door, then found the key on his ring for it. The cubs cheered, as well as the fox cubs also, after Sam Cougar unlocked the padlock and slid the box car door open. Inside the box car were lots of crates and boxes. "Which one's our go kart?", Rex asked. "And our swing set", Randy Fox's younger brother Alvin added. "The invoices will tell me which ones they are", Sam Cougar assured the cubs as he entered the box car with a cargo dolly. "Boy it's hot in here", Sam said upon entering the box car. "It's August", Al replied. "Yup. Hottest part of the year", Sam added. "Here's the go kart for the Rhonson Coyote family", Sam said as the coyote cubs cheered. After Sam dollied the crate containing the go kart out onto the platform, he announced, "The swing set for the Lyles Fox family is next", followed by the fox cubs cheering. Though the crate containing the swing set was rather flat in shape, it was wide and tall. That made it cumbersome to manage, thus Al and the fox cubs dad helped Sam steady it on the dolly on it's way out to the platform. "It looks tipsy turby", Donna said of the wide and tall crate. Then there was a crate with a high performance car engine in it for a badger who is building a hot rod...And it was heavy. But the badger did have some neighbor friends present to help him move it. Last but not least, were the crates of merchandise for the W. M. Hindi store there in Duran, which Zachery Bobcat was there to sign off for it in behalf of the store owner. Once everyone signed for their cargo, they each received customer copies of the invoices. Sam Cougar keeps a copy to bring back to Corona. And the train crew gets a copy, which will be given to the caboose attendants as the train is leaving. After Sam Cougar closed the box car door and locked it back up, he signaled the train to slowly proceed. There were the two toots on the horn as the train began to slowly pull out. Because it was a windy day, Sam Cougar had rolled up the copies of the invoices that the train crew gets. "Sam Cougar made a dert-dert tube with those papers", little Alvin Fox jested. Sam Cougar replied, "I did that so the wind doesn't flap the copies when I paw them to a caboose attendant". The train continued to slowly pass by until the caboose arrived. As the caboose slowly rolled by, Sam Cougar held the rolled up copies of the invoices out for an attendant to grab, as though holding out a batton. An attendant, a raccoon, standing on the lower boarding steps at the rear of the caboose took the copies on the way by, then pawed them to the other attendant, a fox, who was standing near the brake wheel on the platform of the caboose. The Raccoon then waved a signal flag from the caboose for the bear way up ahead in the lead locomotive to see, which meant 'we're done here'...The train then began speeding up as the attendants went back inside the caboose. The freight train now continued on it's way. "We finally got our go kart", Jed proclaimed. "I can hardly wait to try it out", said Rex. "Me too", said Clarence. "This will be my first time on one". "It's the same make and model as the one Ryan Lynx has", Al mentioned to the cubs. "That means a race with Ryan Lynx would be a fair race", Marge added. "That's what I had in mind when I picked it out", Al concluded. The crate containing the go kart was able to fit in the back the Plymouth station wagon. Thus the back seat and rear jump seat were folded down to make cargo space for the crate. Donna sat up front between Al and Marge. And the boys sat in the cargo area with the crate. As for hauling arrangements for the others; The badger who ordered the hot rod motor owned a pickup truck to haul it to his house with. The owner of the W. M. Hindi store owned a small flat bed truck in which Zachery Bobcat hauled the crates of merchandise to the store with. Zachery Bobcat also made use of the truck to help the Fox Family hauling their swing set to their house for them. Once the Coyote Family got the go kart back to the house, the cubs, as well as Al and Marge, were excited as they unloaded it from the Plymouth station wagon and unpacked it from the crate. "There it is", Al said upon unpacking the go kart. "Looks like we still have to put the wheels on it", Jed mentioned. "They bolt in with lug nuts the same way car wheels are", Al added. Putting the wheels on was no great task...Each wheel bolted on with three lug nuts each. There was also reading the prep and operating instructions to go over. And there was inflating the tires to proper pressure, putting the right kind and right amount of oil in the crankcase, getting the grade of gasoline the manufacturer calls for, and making minor adjustments...Those things of course were covered in the instruction manual. "It says here that white gas is recommended", Al mentioned as he and Jed began bolting on the wheels. White gas is what unleaded was called back in the day. "I can drive to the gas station and get a can of white gas while Jed and you are putting the wheels on", Marge replied to Al. "That will work", Al replied, then said to Marge, "We got oil for it. It calls for standard 30 weight like we use in the cars, and we have plenty of that". After Marge got the gas can from the garage, she said, "I'll be back shortly", as she got in the station wagon to go get the gas. By the way, all gas cans were made of steel back then. And some of them were galvanized like the one Al and Marge own. And 1960 was long before any of them had that silly pull-back sleeve on the spouts that the ones in the 21st Century have. While Marge was out getting the white gas, Al and Jed already had the wheels bolted on, and were now airing them up with a bicycle pump...and occasionally checking them with a tire gauge. By the time Marge returned with the gas, the wheels were already aired up to the recommended pressure. "How's it coming along?", Marge asked Al. "Once we gas it up and put in the oil, it will be ready to go", Al answered Marge as the cubs cheered. With that said, Al sent Clarence to the garage to get a can of motor oil, an oil can tapper spout, and a funnel...Motor oil came in quart cans back in those days. Al then had Rex gas up the fuel tank...Rex began pouring the gas about 6 inches from the tank. "Hold the spout down close to the tank so this wind doesn't blow the gasoline everywhere", Al said to Rex. It was a windy day that day. Though being a bit impatient with anticipation, after Rex held the gas can down lower, he began filling the tank rather quickly. "Slow it down some, Rex, and watch what you're doing", Al said. "You don't want to overflow the tank". "Oh okay, Dad", Rex acknowledged as he slowed up on filling the tank. "I got the oil and other stuff", Clarence proclaimed as he returned from the garage. "That's all we have left to do now", Al said as he removed the oil filler cap from the go kart's motor, and pierced the top of the oil can open with the tapper spout. A funnel had to be used to oil up the motor, because the oil fill hole on a small engine is not big enough for the tapper spout to fit into like on an automobile engine. With the gas tank topped off, and the proper amount of oil in the crankcase, the go cart was ready to go into action. But first, Al and Marge went over the operating instructions with the cubs. Al and Marge also lectured the cubs on go kart safety and common sense, including being alert for cars on the streets. It was also mentioned to be careful to avoid hitting other cubs with the go kart. Also, Al suggested, "Now I realize Ryan Lynx tows wagons with his go kart to give cubs rides, which doesn't really harm it in any way. But before you go towing wagons with this one, let it have enough time to break in first". With the instructions and lecturing done and out of the way, there was the issue of who gets to drive the go kart first. That was ultimately decided by Al and Marge to be determined by a coin toss, which the cubs agreed would be fair. Al then pulled a dime from his pants pocket and said, "Jed. Rex. Call it". "Heads", said Jed. "Tails", said Rex. Al then flipped the dime, then caught it in his paw. "It's heads", Al said, holding the dime out to allow everyone to see it. "Aw shuckens", said Rex. "You'll get your turn", Marge assured Rex. Al then said, "Clarence. Donna. Call it". "I take heads", said Clarence. "That leaves tails. I'll call tails", Donna said. "Al then flipped the dime. "Tails it is", Al said, again allowing everyone to see the dime. "Okay. Jed. Donna. Your call", said Al "I'll go with heads like before", said Jed. "And I'll go with tails like before", said Donna. Al flipped the dime. "It's heads", Al said, allowing everyone to see the dime. "Jed gets frist drive. As Al set the choke, and went to start the go kart, it wouldn't start the first few pulls on the start cord. "Is something wrong with it?", Clarence asked. "Gas has to pull into the carburetor first", Jed said to Clarence. "It's a new go kart that's never been run before. It has to have a chance to prime", Al added. On the 6th try, the go kart started and revved to life as the cubs cheered. "You got it Jed", Al said. Jed then let down the lever to engage the drive belt and release the parking brake. Then Jed gave it the gas which also engages the centrifugal clutch, and he was off and going. In almost no time Jed had that go kart up to between 25 and 30 mph. That go kart was loads of fun as Jed drove it up the street quite a ways, including past the house trailer of Ryan Lynx's family. On Jed's way back, Ryan Lynx saw Jed going by on the new go kart. As Jed drove by, he and Ryan waved to each other. Of course, Ryan was not fooled into thinking that Jed had stolen his go kart. Ryan Lynx already knew that Jed and his siblings were getting a go kart. After Jed returned, he mentioned, "Ryan Lynx saw me going by on my way back". "Well, he knows there are two go karts in the neighborhood now", Al jested as he shut down the motor. Al then did another flip of the dime to determine who drives next. First was a dime toss between Clarence and Rex, which Clarence won. Then it was between Clarence and Donna, which again Clarence won. "You're turn Clarence", Al said as Clarence took a seat on the go kart, and Al started it up. "Before you take off, Clarence", Al said to Clarence over the noise of the motor, "You say you've never been on a go kart before". "This is my first time", Clarence acknowledged over the noise of the motor. "I want you to take it a bit slow until you get use to it", Al said to Clarence. "Jed and Rex has driven Ryan Lynx's go kart before. They're experienced at it". "Okay, Dad", Clarence agreed. Although Al and Marge did let the cubs drive the cars on the back roads not long ago, which Clarence did take part in, it still felt new and different as he drove up the street on a go kart. And as Al had instructed Clarence, he did keep the speed down to about 15 to 17 mph. After Clarence returned, Al asked him, "How was it?". "It is really fun", Clarence replied. Then there was the dime toss between Rex and Donna, which Rex won. That meant it was now Rex's turn to try out the go kart. Rex went up the street as far as Jed did. And on his way back, Ryan Lynx already had his go kart going and rode along with Rex. Upon Rex returning accompanied by Ryan Lynx, the coyotes greeted Ryan. "I see you all finally got your new go kart", Ryan Lynx mentioned. "It just did come in on the train this morning", Jed replied. "I noticed a freight train stopping a while ago, but at the time I didn't know why", said Ryan. "It's Donna's turn to drive it now", Al said as Donna got on at the wheel. "You still have a way to go improving your driving skills", Al said to Donna. "So don't be going too fast. Okay?". "Alright. I won't go too fast", Donna agreed. After all, in addition to underdeveloped driving skills, Donna was still only 6 years old. "Mind if drive along?", Ryan Lynx asked Donna Coyote. "Sure. Why not?", Donna agreed. Just before Al re-started the go kart, and just before Ryan re-started his, Al said to Ryan, "Don't encourage Donna to go too fast. She's not as experienced as Jed and Rex are. "Got it. Okay", Ryan Lynx agreed. Donna then drove up the street with Ryan Lynx driving beside her. At Ryan Lynx's family's home, Ryan pulled into the front yard, and Donna returned back to the house. "Having our own go kart is really neato", Donna proclaimed upon returning. "I see the cubs really like the new go kart", Marge said to Al. "I believe getting it for them was a good call", Al replied. Of course, as far as the unfinished breakfast goes, it was already cold. And it would be lunch time in a few hours anyway. Besides, the cubs were having fun with their brand new go kart. "I'm gonna go over to Frank and Wanda's place a minute", said Clarence. "I want to tell Sheryl about our new go kart". "Okay", Marge agreed. Rex was taking another turn driving the go kart when Clarence came back with Sheryl. "Oh wow, cool!", Sheryl exclaimed. "It looks like the one Ryan Lynx has!" "It's the same make and model", Al replied. "Can I ride it one time?!", Sheryl asked. "I don't think Frank and Wanda would mind", Marge said to Al. "Yea, that would be okay", Al agreed, then said to Sheryl, "I need to show you how the controls work first". "Awright!", Sheryl rejoiced, anticipating her first time driving a go kart. Al also instructed Sheryl that because she had never driven a go kart before, to keep it at a slow speed, which Sheryl did agree to. "It's really cool", Clarence said to Sheryl. "I drove it already". After Al explained the controls to Sheryl, she got on the go kart, and Al started the motor. "You got it, Sheryl", Al said. Once Sheryl, let down the lever to engage the drive belt and release the parking brake, and started driving, she did pretty good. Sheryl went up and down the street a few times for 150 feet each way. Then she drove up onto the front lawn of Al and Marge's place. The go kart didn't hurt the grass. However, Sheryl was beginning to head for Marge's Plymouth Fury, nine passenger, station wagon...and Sheryl wasn't turning the wheel sharp enough to turn around in time. "Sheryl! Turn the wheel sharper!", Al called out to Sheryl. Fortunately, Al did instruct Sheryl to take it slow. Al ran up to the go kart just in the nick of time to grab the wheel and turn it sharp enough to stop Sheryl from ramming the station wagon with the go kart. "Woah, that was close", said Marge. "Let your foot off the gas, and hit the brake", Al said to Sheryl. "This petal's the brake. Right?", Sheryl asked while the go kart was still moving. "Yes. That petal", Al affirmed. Sheryl then pressed the brake, thus bringing the go kart to a stop, followed by Al shutting the motor down. "Sheryl. Were you listening when I gave you instructions how to drive this go kart?", Al asked. "I guess so", Sheryl answered. "But I think I forgot some of it". "I'll go over it with you again then", Al said to Sheryl as she was about to get off the go kart. "You can stay on it", Al said to Sheryl, "I'll roll it out to the street". Al then pushed the go kart back out to the street as Sheryl steered. "Female driver", Rex jested. "Sez you", Sheryl retorted back to Rex. "You've had some moments before too, you know", Marge reminded Rex. Al then went over the operation of the controls again with Sheryl. "Well. You think you got it?", Al asked Sheryl after the round of instruction. "I'm sure I got it now", Sheryl assured. "I want you to go a little slower this time", Al said to Sheryl. "And let's stay off the lawns". "Okay", Sheryl agreed. "Alright. Here you go", Al said as he started the go kart. This time, Sheryl drove the go kart a lot better than she did that first time. And even though she was keeping it slow like she was told to do, she was still having lots of fun driving. After Sheryl finished driving, Jed then took the go kart. Al and Marge supervised the cubs for a while as they continued taking turns driving the go kart. They wanted to be sure the cubs had a good grip on the safe operation of that go kart before they let them drive it without supervision, which would be later that morning. Finally when Al and Marge did let the cubs have full control of the go kart later that morning, they still put Jed and Rex in charge of seeing to it that things went along okay with Clarence and Donna driving the go kart. Before Al and Marge went into the house, Al instructed Jed, "Make sure Clarence and Donna keep it slower for now. If you see they're getting better with it, then you can allow them to go a little faster". Going faster was surly something Clarence and Donna were looking forward to. Of course as Al said, they have to get the knack down pat on it first. The cubs certainly had fun with that go kart that morning. Ryan Lynx even came back out onto the street with his go kart. Of course the streets in that neighborhood are residential back streets, and were not through streets. Thus go kart operation on those streets was relatively safe. Other cubs from the neighborhood soon came by to check out the new go kart the coyote cubs have...some of which were riding bicycles. Randy Fox, along with his younger siblings Connie and Alvin came by to check out the go kart. But they soon went back to their house to help Mom and Dad assemble that new municipal grade swing set. It was the same kind like you see on school playgrounds and in city parks. A large playground grade sliding board even came with it. Now of course needless to say, there was the old question, when did the first automobile race take place...with the answer being, when the 2nd automobile was built. Now that there were two go karts in the neighborhood, Ryan Lynx asked, "Wanna race?" Jed was driving the new go kart at the time Ryan called the challenged to a race. Thus the two drivers pulled up side by side. It was agreed that Rex would call 'go' for the race. "I'll go down the street. And where I'll be standing will be the finish line", Rex said. Jed and Ryan agreed, thus Rex got on Jed's bicycle and rode about 400 feet down the street, then took his position there to signal a start to the race. Just before Rex started the race, Jed mentioned to Ryan over the noise of the go kart motors idling, "If a car comes, abort the race for the car to go by. We can always start the race over". "I'm hip with that", Ryan Lynx agreed. "That makes sense". Rex then gave a flag down motion with his paw and the race was on. The cubs, including the other neighbor cubs cheered Jed and Ryan on as the two go karts raced to pass where Rex was standing. And the winner was Jed Coyote, but it was only by a foot or so. Rex then took a turn racing against Ryan Lynx's go kart, this time with Ryan's sister Janice driving Ryan's go Kart. "Aw shucks. I ain't racing a girl", Rex retorted. "Everyone takes turns fair an' square", older brother Jed told Rex. So Rex agreed to race Janice, so sure he would win paws down. However, when it was Clarence this time to give the signal to start that race, Rex wasn't paying attention and got off to a delayed start.
Needless to say, Janice Lynx won that race. "You weren't gonna race a girl, I see", Janice teased Rex after the race was over. Shortly before noon, Clarence had gotten good enough at driving the go kart to where Jed seen fit to allow Clarence to go full throttle on the go kart, and not having to keep it slow. Donna was still a bit awkward driving, but improving. Thus Jed still had Donna keep it a bit slow. Ryan then challenged Clarence to a race, which Clarence accepted. Clarence felt a rush being his first race ever with a motorized vehicle as he and Ryan pulled up side by side, waiting to start. Clarence felt pretty good when Sheryl told him, "I'm rootin' for my favorite race car driver". Janice Lynx was the one who started that race, and when she flagged it, they were off and running. Ryan Lynx came in as the winner by a go kart length...After all, Clarence was still a new driver, but that wasn't bad for his first race. Then other cubs wanted to challenge races against the go karts with their bicycles. That proved to be a farse though, as their bicycles were no match for a 25 to 30 mph go kart. Needless to say, the go karts won over the bicycles every time. Maybe a cheetah who is a professional bicycle racer in the international Olympics could beat a 30 mph go kart, but of course none of the neighborhood cubs were Olympic athletes. Gail Skunk, who was age 7, and her 5 year old brother Dennis also came over to check out the go kart. Because of Gail Skunk's reputation in the neighborhood of being a bit of a juvenile nymphomaniac, Jed Coyote made it clear to her, "No nasty stuff while you're here Gail. Okay? Or I'll have to tell my mom and dad, and they'll send you back home". "Okay okay", Gail agreed. Seeing the races the other cubs were attempting on bicycles against the go karts, Gail's 5 year old brother got the idea that he wanted to have a go at it on his tricycle. "Oh for Heaven sakes. Dennis has gotta be kidding", Rex retorted as a few other cubs laughed. "A tricycle?" said Ryan Lynx. "I can run circles around that". With all that said, little 5 year old Dennis Skunk began crying from feeling intimidated. "Why am I the slowest?", Dennis cried. "Look here you all. Stop picking on him", Jed told the other cubs. Once Jed got Dennis to stop crying, he asked Donna to help arrange a mock race to where she would let Dennis Skunk win on his tricycle. Donna agreed to it, being it would make Dennis feel better. "Donna said she'll race you", Jed said to Dennis. "But she'll beat me", Dennis replied. "Well I'm still a slow driver", Donna assured Dennis. "You might have a chance at winning. And you won't be the slowest", Jed coached Dennis. "Well...Okay", Dennis reluctantly agreed. Rex was sent to the garage to bring back a piece of cardboard for Donna...It was to be part of the show put on for little 5 year old Dennis skunk. Donna Coyote on the go kart, and Dennis Skunk on the tricycle, were now waiting side by side for the race to start. Ryan Lynx, who was standing 200 feet down the street, gave the flagging motion to signal the start of the race. Donna crept the go kart at a slow pace as Dennis got going with his tricycle. Donna got ahead of Dennis a little. Then Donna pretended, "I'm loosing power. I'm loosing power", as she let off the gas so Dennis can get ahead. With Dennis Skunk way up ahead, Donna Coyote proceeded to pass Dennis. And shortly before getting to where Ryan Lynx was standing, Donna stopped the go kart, got off of it, and began fanning the motor with the cardboard, pretending the motor was overheated. Dennis Skunk petaled his tricycle on past Donna, and past Ryan Lynx, thus winning the race. "Oh boy! I won! I won!", little 5 year old Dennis Skunk rejoiced. Then Donna got back on the go kart and and drove up to where Ryan Lynx had been standing. "Looks like you beat me, Dennis", Donna Coyote said to Dennis Skunk. "My motor got hot and I had to cool it down". "You're not the slowest after all", Ryan Lynx assured Dennis Skunk. "That's right. I'm not", Dennis proclaimed. "I'm a winner today". It was soon time for lunch. And with breakfast only half finished when they got that phone call that morning from Sam Cougar, everyone had a hearty apatite when they sat down at the dinner table for lunch. During lunch, the cubs shared their stories with Al and Marge of the fun and races they had with the go kart. Al and Marge got a good laugh about the neighbor cubs trying to race the go karts on their bicycles. The cubs even mentioned the race when they let Dennis win on his tricycle. "Mighty fast tricycle", Al jested as everyone laughed. "We let Dennis win so he'd feel better about not being the slowest cub", Rex replied. "That was good of you all to do that for him", Marge said. "Donna played the part well", Jed mentioned. "Yea. I made believe the go kart was running hot so Dennis can win", Donna boasted. "I can go fast now on the go kart", Clarence proclaimed. "I saw Clarence had gotten good at driving, so decided he can drive like the rest of us do", Jed assured Al and Marge. With that said, Al and Marge congratulated Clarence. Rex asked if other neighbor cubs can try out the go kart, as Jed, Clarence and Donna agreed. Al replied that he was okay with that, but he wanted Jed to use discretion as to who would be allowed to drive it. "Some of the cubs in this neighborhood are still too young to be driving a go kart", said Al. "And we do know of a few who would not exercise responsibility". "I know which ones they are", Jed acknowledged. After lunch, it was back to the go kart. And shortly afterward, the Lynx family had finished lunch, thus Ryan and Janice Lynx were back out with Ryan's go kart as well. Randy Fox and his sister Connie were allowed to take turns driving the new go kart. The two fox siblings had prior experience driving Ryan Lynx's go kart, so they were allowed to go as fast as they want. Younger fox brother, Alvin, also took a turn driving the go kart. Randy did mention that Alvin had seldom ever driven Ryan's go kart. Thus because Alvin's lack of experience, and his young age, Jed Coyote instructed Alvin Fox not to go too fast with it. Sheryl Coyote also had a few more turns driving the go kart, which she was getting better at it. Sheryl's teenage sister, Dotty, and her boy friend, Buddy, came by walking from Buddy's parents place and noticed the new go kart. Before going to Frank and Wanda's house, Dotty and Buddy took a turn driving the go kart. Even Gail Skunk and her younger brother Dennis had turns driving the go kart...though Jed instructed the skunk siblings to take it slow being that neither one has had any experience on a go kart before. Jed also had to take some time to explain the controls to Gail and Dennis. One other thing Jed made sure of was to ask Gail, "Before you get on that go kart, you are wearing panties aren't you?" Gail was wearing a dress that day, and she has had a reputation of not wearing panties under a dress despite her mom reprimanding her over it. Jed realized that on a go kart, a dress could easily flap up in the wind. "I do have panties on today", Gail said as she raised her dress to affirm that. With that made sure of, Jed allowed Gail to take her turn driving the go kart, but at a slow speed do to her lack of experience. Not long thereafter, the Mr. Softee ice cream truck showed up. That's when the cubs, including the neighbor cubs, scrambled home to get a dime from mom and dad for an ice cream cone...Or a quarter if their Mom and Dad splurged a bit so they can get a shake or sundae. For now, it was time to take some time out to enjoy some ice cream, which was certainly a treat on such a hot August day, though still a windy day that it was. Once the cubs began playing again, Janice got the toy wagon belonging to her and Ryan, and they tied it to the rear of Ryan's go kart to give other cubs rides. "I can go get my wagon. And we can pull it with you all's go kart", Sheryl said to Clarence. Jed overheard Sheryl making the offer, and said to her, "Our dad wants our go kart to break in first before we go pulling wagons with it". "Oh, Okay", Sheryl agreed. "But I can hardly wait until it's broke in". The fox siblings, Randy, Connie and Alvin, eventually went back to their house to see how their mom and dad were coming along with that swing set. Late in the afternoon, Randy, Connie and Alvin came back and announced that their mom and dad had finally completed assembling the swing set. With that said, the coyote cubs parked their go kart behind their mom and dad's house, and Ryan Lynx parked his go kart behind his mom and dad's house trailer. The cubs now went over to check out the new swing set the Fox Family now has. It was the same kind of large, municipal grade, swing set that school playgrounds and public parks have. It had the wide rubber belt seats. Because of it's large size, cubs can swing way higher and faster than can be done on those department store swing sets. And it had a 12 foot high sliding board. The cubs really had a ball on that swing set into early evening. It was getting to evening by the time the cubs were finished plying on the swing set. Before calling it a day, several of the cubs took turns driving the go carts again as other cubs rode their bicycles on the residential streets until after dusk.
That Saturday was truly a good day. In the neighborhood, the Rhonson Coyote Family has a tree house and a go cart. The Lynx family has a go kart. The Lyles Fox family has a municipal grade swing set with a 12 foot sliding board. The Mr. Softee ice cream truck comes by each day during the summer. And there is the Southern Pacific Railroad that goes through Duran where cubs can watch trains go by...And the parents had cool car back then. It can be said that during that day and time in the neighborhood that Al, Marge and the cubs live in, it was a great time to be a cub.
The only reason why I’ve heard of Mr. Softee is because I grew up in New York. Why do you add it in there if the story is set in New Mexico? That’s weird because Mr. Softee is a northeastern ice cream brand, according to what I found on the internet, serving areas surrounding New York City and Philadelphia. Isn’t found here in Colorado.
The only reason why I’ve heard of Mr. Softee is because I grew up in New York. Why do you add it in
I had presumed they were nationwide at one time...I guess not.
I did google Mr. Softee to find out they were in 18 states. I remember seeing the Mr. Softee ice cream trucks as a kid when visiting relatives in Virginia.
Another thing I did find out just now is, the company is a franchise. So I guess for the purposes of the story, someone in New Mexico had the money to put up to get started in a Mr. Softee ice cream franchise.
I had presumed they were nationwide at one time...I guess not. I did google Mr. Softee to find out
I looked it up. Mr. Softee operates in 17 states. They are: - Arizona - California - Connecticut - Florida - Illinois - Kentucky - Maryland - New Jersey - New York - North Carolina - Ohio - Pennsylvania - South Carolina - Tennessee - Texas - Virginia - Wisconsin
I looked it up. Mr. Softee operates in 17 states. They are: - Arizona - California - Connecticut - F
Well, Arizona is the next state west of New Mexico. In my story, the Mr. Softee ice cream truck driver had noticed the trucks in Arizona, and decided he'd apply for a franchise to see how well it goes over in New Mexico. In the story, they granted him the franchise to scout out if New Mexico would be profitable territory.
Well, Arizona is the next state west of New Mexico. In my story, the Mr. Softee ice cream truck driv
That story made me reminisce about a go kart I used to have. It was a Christmas present from my dad, and I loved driving it. Near the townhouse complex where I used to live, there was a dirt circle with a grove of trees in the center. I would drive the go kart on that dirt circle both clockwise and counter-clockwise, do "donuts" in one spot of the circle, and even drive the kart through the trees without incident. I would let the other kids/cubs drive the kart, too, but only when their parents were present.
That story made me reminisce about a go kart I used to have. It was a Christmas present from my dad
![Clarence Coyote and Project Courier - Part 41 - The New Go Kart [Page 2] by moyomongoose](https://va.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/3373/3373314_moyomongoose_duran_in_part_41_c.jpg "Clarence Coyote and Project Courier - Part 41 - The New Go Kart [Page 2] by moyomongoose")
![Clarence Coyote and Project Courier - Part 41 - The New Go Kart [Page 3] by moyomongoose](https://va.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/3373/3373315_moyomongoose_duran_in_part_41_d.jpg "Clarence Coyote and Project Courier - Part 41 - The New Go Kart [Page 3] by moyomongoose")
