Birth of Rock Hunter

1957.  In English class the class welcomed a new kid.  The new kid was tall and lanky.  His last name was Crane.  The teacher had him sit an empty desk fairly close to me.  To be friendly I called him Ichabod , as in Ichabod Crane, in THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW.  He failed to see the humor.  He glared at me.

At lunch that day I was standing around the bunch of boys that were hiding smoking and suddenly I saw Crane coming at me swinging his fists like a windmill. 

I think someone told him to beat up somebody on his first day to establish his dominance, just like in prison.  

Although swinging those fists like a mad man he left his face opened.  I popped him in the face.  He again came at me swinging at the air and this time I  popped him and he had a bloody nose.  He ran off holding his face.

I honestly don’t remember seeing him again.  He was probably around but just avoid me.

The boys I was standing with more or less said, “Wow!”

The late Jackie Turner, who died of cancer last year said, “Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?”

It just so happened that week in downtown Marietta at the Strand Theater WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER staring Tony Randall and Jayne Mansfield was showing.

And then and there my nickname Rock Hunter was born.  Which I answered to among  my high school and Navy friends.

Maybe Crane goes by Ichabod Too.

Not that it matters but my ancestor Joseph Bookout (1701-1806)’s brother John Bookhoult, I have this information :

"The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow" (the Headless Horseman) started in the cemetary at the Dutch Reform Church, Tarrytown, New York (near the Hudson River.

     John BOOKHOUT or his son was serving on the Board of Elders when the legend was born.  Later Washington Irvin made the legend into a published story.

And two years ago

I am a big fan of a New Orleans street band TUBA SKINNY.  A couple years ago they came to Atlanta and played.  The leader Shaye Cohn politely and gently told me to get out of their faces with my camera.  I think Shaye Cohn is either grandchild or step grandchild of Jayne Mansfield (star of WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER)

It’s a small world isn’t it?