A Polish Life Including How It All Began
[01 Jan 2008] Today is the day before an event took place that changed my entire life.
On the shores of the Mighty Mississippi, on what had been an island at one time, in a small Polish neighborhood, a young woman was preparing to give birth. She had been preparing and had been ready since Christmas but the little person inside her wasn't ready to come out yet. It was obvious that this soon to be person had a mind of her/his own and wasn't about to be forced into doing anything determined by others. This person had a mind of its' own, a schedule already in its' head of what, when, and how to do things.
On January 2nd, 1940 at 9:32 am - in the same bed, same room, same house the woman was born in, in that little Polish neighborhood along the shores of the Mighty Mississippi, this Ol' Polish Woman made her debut to the world. On New Years Day many folks are nursing a hangover so I waited another day to make sure all were wide awake for my *coming out* party.
I've seen a lot, done a lot, heard a lot. I had the opportunity to grow up in an America that no longer exists. Because of my parents lifestyle I was able to see things that many didn't. We traveled this land and I saw farms with no electricity, no phones, no indoor plumbing. I lived in places like that as well. I have always seen that as the TOOLS that taught me how to SURVIVE and wouldn't trade with anyone those learning experiences. Granted, at the time it wasn't easy but it made me strong and it instilled SURVIVAL SKILLS that many my age do not have. Always moving gave me another tool - to meet new people in new situations and not get settled into any rut of familiarity, or comfort. I also learned to become a pretty good judge of the character of others, what I call my 'gut instincts'. Today parent are told to teach FEAR of strangers to their children. I never had that taught to me so I was able to do much more. Fear was not and is not a part of my life.
My daddy was a stunt double in the cowboy movies in the 30's. He was a World Round Champion cowboy in the Rodeo circuit. If anyone has access to a Life magazine of 6/21/37 you can read the two page spread they did on daddy when he worked at a Dude Ranch outside Reno, NV. He also worked on the 101 Ranch in OK. I have learned that any of daddy's things from that time period are quite the collectors items. Daddy put together a traveling Western stage show in the late 30's and performed all over the MidWest and The South. While riding along he happened to hear two young girls singing on a radio station out of Chicago. That was my to be mom and her sister. Daddy drove to the radio station and they directed him to my grandparents place up in MN. Long story short - Daddy hired them both to work for him and as time passed, daddy married mom.
Daddy was a sharpshooter - trick rider, fancy rope tricks, etc. He also had a fantastic horse that he got as a young colt and he trained to become Rex The Wonder Horse. A Black Arabian stallion with a white blaze. I grew up on that horse and learned many things related to riding. I never was strong enough to lift that silver mounted saddle and bridle so I did a lot of bareback riding, many times with no bridle - just the closeness that had grown over the years between Rex and myself. He followed all my knee and hand signals perfectly. I've been told that when we would be on the road that Rex would be staked out in a field and I would be crawling around near him. I was found many times sound asleep with him standing guard over me - no one but my folks could come near to get me. It was as if Rex knew I was his owners child and it was his responsibility to watch over me.
Well, times were changing and the vaudeville type shows were ending. The Show closed down and we went up to stay at my mothers parents place for a while. Then daddy went to work for the REA and we began our trek West - one farm - one state at a time. That is when my lessons in life really began and I wouldn't trade any of it.
Here I am in Centerville, TN at 15 months old trying to fit into my daddys hat.
What is really neat is that I was able to locate this exact spot - thanks to the guy who owned the radio station in Centerville - and in 2005 I walked this same ground and the man from the radio station took my picture in about the same spot. Now that is something few get to do in life. No amount of money can buy that.
Here's a picture of daddy and Rex at some rodeo (before my time)
and here is a pic of my daddy (in the black hat) and my mom (driving) in front of some theatre they were performing at. Don't know where or the date.
Thanks for letting me share some of my life - I see it all as being why I have such an independent streak and such determination to do things as I do. Birthdays are good times to reflect and I hope to do it many more years. :)
Who knows, maybe some of you old duffers out there can remember seeing the Bar 20 Ranch Show in the late 30's or the early 40's.
Jackie Juntti
WGEN idzrus@earthlink.net
PS: The last time I saw daddy was in Sept. 1962 - I heard from him one more time after that and then nothing. I searched high and low and many out there helped me in my search. I have spent much time and money checking death records in the South - to no avail. I guess that is how it is to be... Daddy just rode off into the sunset.