Sheptalk

Forum Topic
A Christmas Story

Subject	Message	Replies
Yes, your tongue WILL stick! Date: 01-19-2006 By: Bill Bucko	Just talked with a friend last night (NOT from Hammond). He said he was licking an icicle one day, as a kid. His tongue came in contact with a metal fence post, and stuck immediately. After a while he managed to pull it loose, and a lot of skin came off. Says his tongue was so cold it didn't hurt immediately. It sure did, later, though! [:0] Bill Warren G. Harding Class of '63	8

Replies

Date	Member	Message
01-19-2006 ( Reply#: 275 )	svea3	[8)]AND the story in Christmas Story was based in reality. Way before the book or movie would tell of a kid name "COTTON" who on a dare stuck his tongue on the rail on the track by McCook Road in the 1910's. He did get his tongue off minus some skin! Cotton Reichardt gained his name from his dripping"!!!!!" from his nose. My dad would ask me why people don't people have good nicknames anymore. WELL kids still do have those great nicknames! SVEA
01-19-2006 ( Reply#: 281 )	Bill Bucko	Glad to have you with us! I've never heard Jean Shepherd talk about the area just west of Kennedy Avenue (where I grew up). McCook (which you mention) is the last north-south street in this part of town (2 blocks west of Kennedy). I lived half a block away. West of McCook was a long narrow sandy tract owned by NIPSCO (Northern Indiana Public Service Co.), with tall electric towers ... a paradise for insect collectors ... as long as you could avoid the stickers. Continuing west, there were the railroad tracks leading to the Indiana Harbor Belt's Gibson yard; a dirt road leading to the yard; a deep drainage ditch, home to many dragonflies and water beetles; and a vast open prairie, where my family's dogs used to chase rabbits. Some of the prairie is still there, judging by photos I've seen. Far to the west, at the end of the prairie, stood (and still stands) the junkyard, and the big Indianapolis Blvd. viaduct over the tracks (dating from 1937, I think). At least, that's what it was like NORTH of 165th. You say you were from the south end, so that's probably where the kid got his tongue stuck. Bill Warren G. Harding Class of '63
01-19-2006 ( Reply#: 282 )	svea3	[8)]YES the bus would come down Kennedy Ave from the North and stop at the traffic light at 173rd. It was my job to call the bus movement for my brother who would fly down the back stairs to catch it and go off to Hammond High. Kennedy, Marshall, Alexander then McCook. NEXT, I believe was the tracks and that is where Sue Prince lived. She lived there until about 6th grade. Her goal in life was to be a 'stripper'! I often wonder if she made in Cal City. My dad [1909]went to Hammond Tech graduating in 1925. He rode the street car I believe on 165th?. According to him, riding was quite the art. [:I]
01-20-2006 ( Reply#: 290 )	Bill Bucko	Sue Prince? Wish I could have known her! [:D] The street cars were long gone by my time ('50s and '60s), though in some places you could still see remnants of tracks in the street. The city buses sure travelled a roundabout route. None went directly from Hessville to downtown. Instead, they went way south down Kennedy Ave. to your neighborhood, then way out west, then north to downtown, and back again. Bill Warren G. Harding Class of '63
01-24-2006 ( Reply#: 316 )	svea3	Ah for the simple life. We used to meet at one another's houses to barter pix of dogs,cats and horses! [8D] I know my dad owned a small grocery store on Martha close to California on the south side. I just wrote my brother as to the actual location. He hopefully will remember the address. I know that Dad had some real problems with the renters, who would have run the store. I also know that Bill [now Ed]Dedelow's sister read Shep's book when she was in High School[that would be HHS]. Dedelow's were a part of Van Gorp family also. I was looking at the modern map of Hessville and comparing it to my dad's circa 1912 drafting map. My Great grandfather's farm was by the Nickle Plate RR running from past the Township Cemetery to way beyond Parrish on 169th[15th in Gary] on the South side.Incidentally McCook was called Hopp! , another relative of mine.[8)] Been doing genealogy, very interesting findings. [:)]
12-25-2006 ( Reply#: 674 )	wvcogs	Way back in January Linda posted the following: quote: Originally posted by svea3 [8)]AND the story in Christmas Story was based in reality. Way before the book or movie would tell of a kid name "COTTON" who on a dare stuck his tongue on the rail on the track by McCook Road in the 1910's. He did get his tongue off minus some skin! Cotton Reichardt gained his name from his dripping"!!!!!" from his nose. My dad would ask me why people don't people have good nicknames anymore. WELL kids still do have those great nicknames! SVEA I just listened a little more carefully and heard Flick say the following in the movie: My old man said he "once saw a guy stick his tongue to a railroad track on a bet" and the fire department had to come to get it off. Could it be that comment in the movie was based upon Cotton's experience? Ken... Former Hessvillite Morton Graduate 1960
12-26-2006 ( Reply#: 678 )	Bill Bucko	Yes, yes, yes! I noticed that, too! Actually, I think it's Schwartz who mentions that. Flick and Schwartz had a lot in common; but to me at least, Schwartz (in the movie) seems the bigger wise guy. Both have now entered American folklore, to take their places alongside Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Bill Warren G. Harding Class of '63
12-26-2006 ( Reply#: 680 )	wvcogs	You're right Bill. I just checked again. It was Schwartz. Sorry. What do you think? Was it based on Linda's Cotton story? Ken... Former Hessvillite Morton Graduate 1960