The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, December 21, 1967, Image 24
SEC. B — PAGE 4—The Newberry Sun, Newberry, S. C., Thursday, December 20, 1967
Biff Coleman eased the pres
sure of his foot and watched
the speedometer needle drop
down to 35 miles-per-hour.
Central City was probably a
speed trap and he didn’t want
to get started off on the wrong
foot.
Anyway, he mused, if I go
too fast I might pass right on
through before I realize it.
Top-drawer inefficiency, Biff
thought, to start a branch of
fice in such a small town. And
just his luck to draw the as
signment. Exiled, and at Christ
mas, too.
He saw the faint flow of
red in his mirror. Yep, he had
guessed right. Cops. Good
thing he wasn’t speeding. Or
was he? That guy had his siren
on. He’s tailgaiting me, signal
ing me to move over, Biff
thought. "What the . . . broth
er, I couldn’t have been doing
over thirty. What’s the limit in
this burg, anyhow? I’ll fight
through every court in this
state before I pay a cent.”
Meeting
He pulled over, the squad
car edging up behind him. A
young, smiling officer emerged
from the car. The type that
likes his work, Biff guessed.
A young, smiling officer
emerged from the car.
"Now, listen officer, I want
you to know ...”
"Never mind, sir. Please step
out of the car. I am Officer
Paul McGrath, Central City
police force. May I see your
driver’s license?”
Biff had it in his hand, all
ready. "Here you are, but I
would like to say ...”
"Mr. Coleman, from River
City. Mr. Coleman, welcome
to Central City. Are you just
passing through?”
"I had planned to stay. I..”
"It doesn’t blatter, sir. May
I ask that you come with me?
We won’t be gone long. You
can lock your car and leave it
where it if. It will be all right. ”
"Come where with you?
What am I supposed to have
done? Can’t I just go on my
way?”
"You can refuse to go. You
have the right. Have you some
urgent appointment?”
"I just want to check into
the hotel and ...”
"You can do that later. If
you have nothing urgent, will
you come with me?”
"O.K.”, Biff gave in. "O.K.,
I’ll come with you. Let’s go
and get it over with.”
Noisy
Biff stepped into the car.
The officer started the motor
and headed up the street, red
dome light flashing, siren
going full blast.
The squad car came to an
almost screeching stop in front
of a building which appeared
more like a church than a
police station.
"This is our community
center,” the officer said. "We
use it for just about every meet
ing we have in this town.”
Biff allowed himself to be
pushed through the door.
"Meeting?”
"Sure, meeting. Look.”
Crowd
Biff looked. The place was
alive with people. Little groups
standing around, talking, eat
ing cake and sipping punch.
"Meeting,” Officer McGrath
said. "We do this every Christ
mas. We choose someone ap
parently passing through and
bring them here to meet the
friendly folks of Calvert City.”
He gave Biff another friendly
shove. "Here he is, Mayor.”
The big man grasped Biff’s
hand. "Your name, sir?”
Biff stammered, "Uh, Uh,
Biff. Biff Coleman.”
The mayor raised his hands.
"Ladies and gentlemen. Step
up, if you will and meet Mr.
Biff Coleman. Mr. Coleman is
passing through and just
stopped to let us wish him a
May all the joys
of Yuletide ring
out for you.
Newberry Dry Goods Company
C. J. McWhirter & Son.
1004 Main Street
A wreath of good wishes for
health, wealth and happiness
from all your friends at...
GARDNER AGENCY
Merry Christmas.”
Biff found his voice. "Thank
you, Mr. Mayor. But, I’m not
passing through. I have come
to stay. You know that building
on the corner of First and
Main just remodeled? Now, my
company is opening a branch
office there and I want to in
vite. . .”
He was drowned by a
chorus of voices, "Merry Christ
mas, Biff.”
* First Footer *
May Bring Luck
Perhaps one of the most
widespread of the early New
Year’s superstitions concerned
the "first-footer”, the first per
son to cross the threshold on
New Year morning. Women
and light-haired men were con
sidered unlucky "first-footers”,
as were people who walked
pigeon-toed.
The superstition in some vil
lages was taken so seriously
that a dark haired man was
given the job of acting as first-
footer. Going from house to
house, he would be the first to
cross over the threshold, thus
preserving the good fortune of
the community.
The Anglo-Saxons, believe-
ing that something might hap
pen when the New Year burst
in, often climbed upon the roof
on New Year’s Eve so as to
have a good view of such event.
We moderns make plenty of
noise, presumably because our
primitive ancestors believed
that noise would keep evil in
fluences away.
«
After the rush of Christmas, may we extend a wish for
a Happy Christmas to you with our warmest thanks
for your friendship this past year?