FENCE GAPS

In Wright City, you could only enter a pasture through a barbed wire fence "gap".

Said "gap" was a hand constructed "gate" made from barbed wire.

Lots of folks constructed their fence "gaps" so that it was a relatively "easy" task to unlatch the gate, lay it down, and allow passage. I now think that to really know country folks, ya didn't look at their houses, ya eyeballed their fences.

I don't think the thought of "easy" ever entered my Grandaddy's head. When building his barbed wire pasture fences, he would string the galvanized concertina precisely spaced at a tension that would rival a bow fiddle. Given that propensity for tightness, why would he slack off on the "gap"?

If the space was 12 feet between the main "gap" posts, Grandaddy would naturally make his barbed wire gate no more than 11 feet. That meant that a boy knee high to a grasshopper would grunt, groan, and sputter to latch that sucka.

It weren't purty if them "gaps" didn't stay latched cuz Granvil would swat yor behind with a watermelon rind. Unlatched fence "gaps" meant Grandaddy's cows got out (Next thing to Armageddon!)(If we weren't so damn poor, I'm thinking we would have duct taped them gates??)

Take a full grown pickup, add three males. Now see the fight to over who got to drive and who sat in the middle of the seat. All that was left for the unlucky soul was the "shotgun" seat on the right passenger side. That would be the unfortunate mullet who had to get out, open and close Grandaddy's fence gaps, and pray for more fortunate seat placement on the next trip?

Ain't it sweet how a simple life can allow such simple memories?