A case of Bud's mistakes or mishaps(from "Gibbon's Secrets")

Into everyones life mistakes or mishaps can happen, and early in 1940 Bud's decision to cross Highway 30 and the RR tracks to visit his friend Duncan was one of those times.

I wanted to visit my friend Duncan who lived on the south side of Gibbon and decided to go see him without asking mom for permission. I got to Highway 30 and nervously looked West and started to run across the highway. This was a "look only one way" type of mistake and I was nearly hit by a Nebraska Highway Patrol car.

The patrolman was dad's friend, Jack Shaunesey, and when he got his patrol car stopped he immediately turned on his red flashing lights. Jack stepped out of his patrol car and headed toward me, a much shaken boy. Jack was upset but remained calm with me who he knew to be his friend Reg's son. "You need to brush up on your highway safety don't you think Bud?" "I'm sorry sir. Are you going to arrest me?"

Jack didn't arrest me but did take me home in his patrol car - to have a discussion about the incident with my mother. To this day, I remember that little visit, Jack in his deliberate calm way explained to my mother Addie, how I by not thinking could have just as easily been brought home in an ambulance. This caring man's goal was to teach this young boy and his young friends highway safety through a series of visits at his home over the next several weeks. The experiences gained through Jack's safety lessons proved to be a very positive influence on the young lives of me the "Five Friends Forever". The timing was perfect for a caring man to come into these boy's lives and lead them down a safer path.

Think back - I'm sure that each of you while growing up, have had a similar experience with a caring person pointing you in the right direction. To this day when I drive though Gibbon on Highway 30 I think of Jack and how his quick action saved me from injury both in the immediate time frame plus well into the future.