|
By: Jim Fitzpatrick |
|
Email: jim@nunica.com |
|
Local Farmer in Polkton Township writes for the Coopersville Observer. |
|
Along Brandy Creek By Jim Fitzpatrick
The Coopersville Observer June 6, 2011- - No. 111 |
|
Matt and Morrie went out in a boat. Matt was in the stern and in charge of the outboard motor. Morrie was seated forward in the bow. They had just pushed off from shore in the Bass River gravel pits along the southern banks of the Grand River. They were about to go out on the water and have a leisurely look around. Matt stood up and gave a good pull on the starter rope. Just like that - Matt and Morrie were in the water – with their little bottom-side-up boat along side. That was a long time ago.
Matt grew up on a farm south of the Grand and down river from the gravel pits. He had motored up river that day as he often did during those growing up years living on the family farm. His dad and Morrie worked together loading the barges with gravel that were brought upriver from Grand Haven by the Construction Aggregates company tugs. Gravel was extracted there for over a hundred years.
Morrie is gone now; but, Matt is still around and in later years had moved to his own farm on the north side of “the river”. He and his wife raised a family along Arthur Road, only a couple of miles from where Morrie spent his entire life. So the years went by and they continued to be friends until Morrie’s passing. Over coffee a few days ago, in Matt and Barb’s kitchen, Matt told the story of the overturned boat to two of Morrie’s sons. It seemed to the listeners that it must have been maybe just a little bit humbling when it came time for him to get his boat back to the farm. Matt explained how he tied a line form the bow of his small water logged boat and motor to the tug and barge as it left for Grand Haven to pull him on down river toward home. |
