January 8, 2007
CHAMPION–JANUARY 8, 2007
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      The prevailing attitude in Champion these days is Gratitude. Farel Sikes is fairly bristling with it. When asked about an event that occurred on Wednesday the third of this month he said that he had taken the quick way down and that he neither bounces nor flies. The Skyline Area Volunteer Fire Department had responded to a brush fire and just about had it wrapped up late that evening. Farel and a couple of others with their team leader, Craig Blankenship, were taking care of a last little flair up. He went around one end of the blaze with his leaf blower and was down hill from the fire and down wind of it when he said he thought he had stepped into a hole. He said that his next thought was that he sure wished he could get his breath. He had stepped off a bluff and had fallen some 25 to 30 feet. He fell on his leaf blower, but fortunately landed in some moist soil. A few feet in any direction would have had him piled up on the rocks. He was Grateful for that bit of luck and also Grateful to have three First Responders immediately on the scene. Craig Blankenship, Robert Hamilton, and Donald Powell carefully moved him 75 feet to a spot where an ambulance could receive him. At the call, “Firefighter down!” Cox Ambulance Service arrived promptly. Paramedic, Rick Miller, and EMT, “Mike Michael,” took good care of him and got him to the hospital quickly. There he remained until Saturday. He has a fractured wrist which will be getting some fancy pins put in to hold it together and he has stress fractures to L1 and L3 that are called serious but not critical. He will be wearing a “Ninga Turtle” brace for 3 or 4 months and will be restricted to no heavy lifting until he is mended. He is home and up and around, admittedly uncomfortable but uncomplaining. Farel also admits that it was a lack of attention on his part that caused his fall. Accidents, however, are part of life and the reason the Champion community is so fortunate to have these well trained Fire Fighters, First Responders, Paramedics and EMTs. As news of the incident reached neighbors traveling in distant places they called to ask if Farel needed anything from the great state of Texas. He said, “No, I don’t need a thing. My sweet Mother is already here.” Mrs. Sarah Sikes had been visiting for the holidays and will extend her stay to be of help to Farel and Sharon during his recuperation. He and Sharon are Grateful for that and for the outpouring of Love and support from friends and neighbors and their church community.
      Down in far South Texas the eighteen wheelers full of the luscious citrus for which the area is known are lined up in front of the juice plants. Picking the sweet Valencia oranges and Ruby Red Grapefruit right off the tree is a genuine treat. Cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower are being harvested now and peach trees are beginning to bloom. While the palm trees sway in gentle Gulf breezes blown in from exotic places and family ties are precious a couple of songs about home in Missouri come to mind. One is “Meet Me in St. Louie, Louie.” The other most surely was written about Champion itself. It has come from two sources. One is Mrs. Katherine Coffman a long time resident from Mountain Grove. She said the song was made popular by Phil Harris when she was a girl and its title was “Take Me Back To Where I Come From.” The other source was W.A. Masters whose folks were born and raised over in McDonald County. He was a one-man band known as “Uncle Al, The Lonesome Plowboy.” He said that the title of the song was “Where the Mocking Bird Is Singing in the Lilac Bush.” Whatever its title it does seem like it was written about someone from around here. This is how it goes:
        “I’m going back to where I come from, where the honeysuckle smells so sweet it darn near makes you sick. I used to think my life was humdrum, but I shore have learned a lesson that is bound to stick. I used to go down to the station every evening just to watch those Pullman cars come rolling in. And then one day temptation bit me and it took me to the spot that’s got me to the shape I’m in. I took my hat and fourteen dollars and set out upon the path of sin that always follers when your rich and a huntin’ romance, but my huntin’ days are over I can tell you that. I met a man in Kansas City and he asked me if I thought that I would like to step around and I said, “Yep, that’s what I’m here fer.” So he said that he’d show me the hottest spots in town. He mentioned things he’d have to fix up, so he took my fourteen dollars, but there must have been a mix-up. He’s been gone since Thursday morning, and I’ve got a hunch I’ll never see that guy no more. Now when I’m old and have a grandson, I will tell him ’bout my romance days and watch his eyes bug out, but chances are, he won’t believe me and he’ll do the same darn thing when he grows up no doubt. But he can’t say I didn’t warn him. Oh, what will happen when he meets up with that city-slick, golldarn him! Take me back to where I come from, where the mocking bird is singing in the lilac bush. Where the mocking bird is singing in the lilac bush.”
      Champion residents, past or present, are welcome to add to the list of Missouri songs at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717. Write them in the notebook at the Champion Store or e-mail them to Champion News. Add poetry, history, yarns, tall tales or warnings or real news and make comments and corrections.
      The Missouri Song List so far: #1. Missouri Waltz, #2. Meet Me in St.Louie, Louie, #3. Take Me Back To Where I Came From.
