WHEN I WAS MUCH YOUNGER!

WHEN I WAS MUCH YOUNGER!

This is history because it happened in the “Forney of Old!” When I was a boy in the 1950s, Dad would sometimes on Sunday afternoons say, “Let’s go for a drive.” I was not too thrilled to sit in the back seat with my sister, Ann, as Dad drove with Mom in the front seat beside him in the two-tone blue-and-white 1950 Ford with three-speed manual transmission with the shifter on the column. I also remember bench seats and no air-conditioner or radio, and no power brakes, steering, mirrors, windows, or seats!

We nearly always drove out FM 740, past the Markout Community, and down the hill to the “river bottoms,” stopping to turn around close to the Reznicek house and the beginning of Malloy Bridge Road. I will admit I did enjoy this part of the trip if it had been raining pretty much, because the farm land along the road would be flooded and across the pavement in some places–and Dad would pretend it was worse than it really was as he drove through standing water.

We also nearly always drove out FM 1641 towards the Talty area, past the Talty Store and Gin, and past the “Shipleyville” houses before heading back to our house at 605 Maple Street (sometimes listed as Avenue) right off FM 741 (College Street). We had the first house built facing that street! (R. D. Davis was the builder/overseer.)

Other days we drove through the town area (pretty “dead” on Sundays) and across Highway 80 and out to what is now (and may have been then) Ranch Road–then on out onto Valley View and then on back around to University Drive and back to FM 548.

I remember cotton fields, hay fields, lots of trees, ponds, cows, and horses on the farm land! That was pretty interesting viewing if we did not go too often!

But, the best things to see, in my opinion, were the occasional ROAD RUNNERS that would run on the roadway in front of the car until we got too close, and then they would veer off into the scrub brush along the ditch and into the wooded areas. They looked so funny as they ran, with heads up, speckles, and long legs and beaks. Dad would try to drive just fast enough (1st or 2nd gear) to stay close enough to see them well but not so fast as to scare them off.

I should not say, “THEM,” because I really never remember seeing more than one on the road at a time–and not every trip.

As time passed, ROAD RUNNERS became more and more scarce until about the 1980s when I do not remember seeing any out there in the Valley View areas when I drove out to see Sam and Janice Criswell and/or Harry and Georgia Power. But, I did not go out that way as often as I had in earlier days! I did continue to see them during our summertime visits to relatives in the Okarche, Kingfisher, and Okeene areas in Oklahoma.

Well, just the other Saturday, I was sitting at the table, writing a story and paying bills, when my wife said, “Shoosh. Move slowly and look out the windows to the back patio area right under this window by the bird bath! What is that?”

I slowly moved over, looked out, and saw a large brown bird, standing erectly, with a long beak and speckles, and sturdy feet/claws. We watched amazed as I said, “ROAD RUNNER!!”

Viv said, “No, are you sure?” I, of course, answered, “Certainly!”

And then it jumped over to a wooden cabinet/shelf, flew against it, and then flew up towards the roof with a large insect (maybe a dragon fly or moth) in its beak. Off it flew towards the trees and brush at the back of our “2.2!”

I was amazed, for it had probably been at least 20 or 25 years since I had seen a road runner anywhere in Forney and at least 10 or 15 since I had seen the last one in this general area when we spotted one along a roadway near the Canton Square in a sort of “grown-up” area by the parking lot of a restaurant.

I hope they make a comeback and hope there is a nest somewhere in our yard. If I see one or more again, I will update all of you history buffs and nature lovers!

**Information** They are sometimes called “ground cuckoos” or “chaparral cocks”–fast-moving with “crests” and “ground-running” habits. Close habitats are mainly in the Southwestern and South-Central United States, choosing somewhat “desert habitats” if they can! Road runners can fly very well, but seem to prefer running away from predators or after insects or small-animal prey (lizards, etc.), and they have been “clocked” in the area of 20 miles per hour when running on a level ground surface!

Often, these mature birds measure 20–24 inches from beak tip to tail tip and weigh in at 10–15 ounces. Strong feet, long legs, over-sized bill, and a distinctive head crest, plus zygodactyl feet (two toes pointing forward and two backward) are distinctive features of these remarkable and amazing creatures!