Robert Handy

River Raft Pack of Weeping Water Flat Robert Handy

The River Raft Pack of Weeping Water Flat is adventure tale of rural American teenage kidsHap, Patti, Sonny, Yee, Scoot, Breeze, Tubby, Misty, Juan, Melody, Dawnof the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era who rendezvoused at burrow of sunken barge along Quicksand Slough, endured raft launching fiasco on flooding Missouri River, survived devastating tornado at Willow Grove School, rescued desperate hobo Kermit Bucey at haunted Abandoned Shack, farced at summit of Jones Point, explored wilderness of ancient Aboriginal Village, viewed sinking and aided rescue of riverboat Windy Lee, befriended Austin Scamp of Shallow Grave Hollow, fished with Enzo Gigem Durney, witnessed abduction of town gossip Gustavia Gusti, played in Big Game of Fame or Shame, mourned death of Pack buddy, persevered to produce the River Raft Race of Saving Grace, romanced the coming of age at Union Town High, disengaged to engage adult destinies. Growing up on farm fronting Civil Bend of same flow in southwest Iowa during Great Depression of long ago, I would gaze yonder so, wondering bestow of mystic haven Weeping Water Flat, unknown people on the go. Often perched on old stump chewing fox tail stem to console, imagined kids like myself over there amid dust bowls blow. Wished they would have appeared at river bank to yell hello. Six decades have passed by since I first heard rooster crow on yonder shore of estuary where Nebraska sky glows. Those kids I then envisioned are now elders like me, so from my mind and heart they have flowed to paper for now bestow to those who just might like to know tales from long ago.