Chosen to Rattle: A Story About David Wiggins, A Hometown Hero - Softcover

Garcia, Sue Jarriel

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1491866373 ISBN 13: 9781491866375

Verlag: AuthorHouse, 2014

Inhaltsangabe

South Georgia - "Dog Days" - August, 1967, David Wiggins, then a mere eight year old boy, had a brief, but lasting encounter with an Eastern Diamond Back Rattlesnake. This "chance" meeting would make a "forever"change and jeopardize both the lives of David and the snake; each having effects that would last for all time.

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CHOSEN TO RATTLE

A Story About David Wiggins A Hometown Hero

By Sue Jarriel Garcia

AuthorHouse LLC

Copyright © 2014 Sue Jarriel Garcia
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4918-6637-5

Contents

Dedication, vii, 
Foreword, ix, 
The Bite, 1, 
The Aftermath, 7, 
The Ambulance Ride and Hospital Stay, 13, 
Was She or Wasn't She?, 19, 
A Mother's Love, 23, 
A Father's Dedication, 27, 
Homecoming and Community Support, 31, 
School Days, 33, 
Adventures with Childhood Friends, 41, 
God Meant it for Good, 45, 
A Special Calling, 65, 
David Wiggins, 71, 
The First Rattlesnake Roundup, 85, 
The Evans County Wildlife Club, 89, 
Afterward, 93, 
Acknowledgments, 95, 

CHAPTER 1

THE BITE

Everyone's story needs to be told, doesn't it? The stories that have been passed down from generation to generation deserve to have at least one listening ear. The news story for the day all the way down to the sweet grandmamma rocking her grand baby and telling a story about a made up land far away land until the toddler's eyes are closed in peaceful rest and contentment. Then there is the story being told when a father and his son enjoy a balmy afternoon sitting on the bank of a river as they enjoy a day of fishing and life changing principles.

So it is with this story. This story that happened in a small town in southeast Georgia almost forty seven years ago is one that also deserves to be told. It has in fact already been told in bits and pieces over and over many times. One person remembers this, another remembers that. Nevertheless, it took place and the events that transpired afterwards has had an everlasting effect on not only the victim, but countless of people living now and for generations to come.

One might compare David Wiggins, small town boy with David, the shepherd boy, later on a king in the Bible. They both faced a terrible giant in their early life as a young lad. As the Bible tells us, the shepherd boy, David, was out in a field tending his father's flocks of sheep. The Philistines had sent a "giant" over to kill the Israelites. Using the power of God on his side, David chose some perfect stones to slay the giant thus saving thousands of lives, and making David a hero in the eyes of the Israelite people.

Centuries later, God once again had his hand on another young boy named David. He too was in a field, and although at the time was so unaware, he would face and slay a giant that had been placed in his path.

Sunday, August 6, 1967, was a day that started off like any other day. Many people had gone to church that morning all over the county. It was no different for David Wiggins and his family. Sunday morning had come and gone, and now Sunday afternoon found some of the family members at one place, and the younger members were enjoying an afternoon of frolicking and playing games with one another. It was a lazy afternoon that was being enjoyed by all members of the family even though they were not together.

Times were hard with a family of six to feed. Many times vegetables were cultivated, picked, and prepared for canning or the freezer. The winter months were more endurable with food that had been prepared and put away for those cold winter nights.

Henry and Pearl Wiggins, along with Preston Clifton and young David, eight years old at the time, had gone out to a garden that was located on the old Dwight Kennedy farm just outside of Claxton, Georgia. Corn and peas were to be picked on that day. The evening had passed on. It was hot as usual for a "dog day" in August. These days happen in late July and August, and are referred to as this because they are described as sultry and hot.

It wouldn't be too long before school started. Wanting to enjoy the last few weeks before he would be told what to wear, David was enjoying being dressed for the day wearing shorts and a tee shirt. He was also barefooted, which is what most of children did in the summertime—go barefoot. On this day, it gave him a true sense of freedom which can be experienced in no other way. Shoes would not have put off what was going to happen no doubt. It may have helped a bit, but probably not too much.

The gnats had been swarming and buzzing around the faces of the corn and pea pickers. Walking up and down the rows of the cornfield with precision produced even more gnats. Not to be discouraged by these creatures, corn was being picked as if nothing was anywhere in the vicinity that would have made a mere fluttering or buzzing sound. The family must work quickly so as to make their trip worthwhile. There would be other hands helping when he returned back home. But for right now, David felt responsible for making his gathering of corn count for something.

He had been solicited by his mom and dad to help with the gathering of the vegetables. He took pride in being the one that was chosen this time to help. He felt like he was a "big man" taking responsibility for his little brothers and sister. He was helping to take care of his family. His role in this procedure was to pick up the corn that his daddy had just broken off from the stalk and thrown to the ground. He obeyed his daddy, and tossed the corn inside the basket that he was carrying.

"Oh be careful little feet where you go, oh be careful little feet where you go, for the Father up above is looking down with love, oh be careful little feet where you go." David had heard this song many times. He had first heard it in Sunday school. He would tap his foot to the beat, and when he sang the line "for the Father up above is looking down with love", he would take his finger and point it up to the sky. Oh how David's feet did go. How he loved to follow behind his daddy, which is just what he was doing on this day. He would go step by step, stride by stride—always being careful to stay inside the footprint of his dad.

Not outside of the print one little bit, but inside so he could be protected not harmed by outside forces. "I'll stay close to Daddy," David thought. One will never know if on this day David did decide to veer off the path of his daddy's shoe print—maybe, maybe not. Besides the scream which came soon thereafter, the next sound that was heard was his daddy shouting, "He's been bit!"

CHAPTER 2

THE AFTERMATH

David had indeed been bitten three times. The rattlesnake was hidden, and hidden very well. Did David really see the snake—probably not. He had felt something though. He wasn't quite sure what it was. He thought maybe it could have been a bee or even a wasp sting. He had even come in contact with a briar patch before while picking blackberries. But this sharp, prickly stab was no comparison to that. It was quick, precise, intended for a specific target. If the bull's eye of that target just happened to be on David's lower extremities, then the mark was well hit.

Besides David's scream which came soon thereafter, the next sound that was heard was his daddy shouting, "Pearl, my God, he's been bitten three times!" While he still had his wits about him, Henry Wiggins reached out to scoop David up in his arms. As he bent down to get him, the snake thrust his slender body which resembled a tire towards him in another attempt to strike again.

She missed, and the same basket that David was using to put the corn in was quickly thrown over the still defensive snake. If it had not been covered up, a most certain verdict would have been another bite to have come quickly after the first three.

Trying again to get both Pearl...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: AuthorHouse
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2014
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1491866373
• ISBN 13: 9781491866375
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 108
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: GPSR Kontakt; gpsr@libri.de; ; Friedensallee 273; Hamburg; 22763; Deutschland