4/22/2009:
Elda (Schultz) Rasch "Driving the New Chevrolet"
Interviewed: Bismarck, ND, 25 July 2007
Born: Fredonia, ND, 20 September 1928
Well I hauled grain for some of them and so they wanted me to haul grain and I hauled that with a wagon and horses you know and then they had a truck. I did drive that truck. We had an older truck and so that one I could handle, it wasn't so big. Well, then my Uncle bought a new Chevrolet, I don't know if that's on here or not, so anyway, that one day they sent me to town with that truck and then my Dad showed me how to shift it, you know, and he said "now shift it in low not higher than medium" and he said, "when you get on the highway ok." So I did. Well it drove so good, so I shifted it into high and when I got down to town, to Fredonia. You know where the grain elevators in Fredonia are now? I got to that corner where you need to turn, and coming from the North I did that alright. I came around the corner, and funny I didn't flip it, and I got to the elevator, and I didn't know what to do. They had called in and told the elevator man that I was coming and he should watch for me. So he was outside and the pit was shut and I went right through the elevator and if the pit would have been open I would of killed myself. He kept saying "STOP, STOP, step on the brake"! Well, finally I stepped on the brake and I jack-knifed the whole thing, but I didn't tip. That was the end of my truck driving, yup, (laughter) horses after that and no more trucks. I suppose I was about 13 or 14, what time, that was when that war was, when was that, I suppose about 14 or 15 that's about all I was, and you know I wasn't very strong, you know my arms, I was frail. Oh I was scared. I shook forever, I got a scolding, he said "You could have killed yourself and look what you have done to Uncle Garret's truck, it was brand new and I told you." Well I cried, and that was all the good that did. I didn't get a licking or anything. I think they were so glad that I was alive that they didn't really care (laughter). Oh, that was something. But that's what you did.