An Adventurous Cousin and a Flooded Stockyard (Second of Eight Survival Stories)

A cat is said to have nine lives. The following recounts my second close call – a providential rescue from a watery danger.

First, some background details!

My mom, Lorraine Hunt, in front
of older sister, Idaho Eastwood.

My mom’s only sister, Idella, lived in Spokane, Washington, with her husband, Raio, and children when we were kids, and we traveled from our Salt Lake Valley to visit them a couple of times.

The oldest son, Dennis, is about two years older than Merrill. Next was Clinton, who is a year older than me but about a year younger than Merrill. Next is Barbara, who is my age – at least we were in the same grade at school. Idella and Raio had two younger children, Sharon and David, but I didn’t get to know them that well.

Raio was a great cook! I especially loved his pancakes. His were always the best. He was a very low-key guy, but Idella was a lot more gruff and strict. Looking back on the relationship between her and mom, I would say Idella was the typical older sister – she was the one in control.

Barbara Eastwood, back left, and
my sisters Troyleen and Trena during
1964-65 school year.

The Eastwoods also came and visited us in Utah many times, partly – I’m sure – as part of their visit with Grandma and Grandpa Butt and all the rest of the family in the valley. There were two Christmases we celebrated with the Eastwoods staying with us in our Granger home. Those were fun times, two families sleeping everywhere in the house, and even Grandpa and Grandma Butt stayed over Christmas Eve one of those times.
Us kids had a hard time getting to sleep and then staying asleep past about three or four in the morning. I remember our parents even locked us in our bedrooms to try and get some sleep themselves. They even gave Merrill and I sleeping pills to "help us sleep." We still got up real early but then got sick and had to go back to bed after opening presents. 

The excitement was crazy – all of us kids waiting to see what Santa had brought us.

Barbara Eastwood's high school
graduation picture, 1968.

Several years later, Barbara spent the 1964-65 school year with our family and also attended Westlake Jr. High. I actually had two cousins at the new junior high – Barbara Eastwood and LeeAnn Lavender, who had recently moved into our Granger area. I regret that I never hung out with either of them at school. I was, at the time, trying to see what I could become and too much into myself and basketball. They were both at a new school and didn’t know anyone, but I also had spent the last two years at different junior highs and only knew the few kids who had been bused to Kearns and then Manga with me -- plus the whose who had earlier attended Monroe Elementary.   

Oops, sorry I got off on a tangent there! Back to our two trips to Spokane.

Both were memorable – but mostly because of the pain and fright involved.

Barbara, Clinton (smiling in back) and
cut-up Lee holding my Easter basket.

Typical old barbed-wire fence.

The first trip was when I was about five years old. The pictures I’ve found of that trip shows us celebrating Easter with the Eastwoods –

must have been Easter vacation. All of us cousins were having a great time --- maybe even racing here and there in an Easter egg hunt. But then I spoiled all the fun when I ran right into a barbed-wire fence. I ended up with gashes in my forehead and side of my head. Even the photo of Barbara, Clinton and I with our Easter cake and baskets shows me none too happy.

Our next trip up there was a few years later, probably when I was nine or 10 years old. I remember Clinton talked Merrill and I into helping him sell donuts door to door. He figured people would be more likely to buy from this little cute boy (me) than they had been willing to buy from him. So we took the job. I did the talking and Merrill was by my side for moral support. We actually did pretty well. I think he was right about my "sales ability."

Later he wanted to take us out to a secret place. At least I don’t remember him telling me where the three of us were going. He probably told Merrill, or maybe I just tagged along. I did that a lot.

A typical cattle stockyard that has been flooded.
(Photo by Getty Images)

When we got to the spot, I became very leery. There before us was a flooded abandoned stockyard or cattle corrals. He wanted to show us how we could get right out into the middle of the lake by making our way down the white wood corral fence. I wasn’t too excited about the idea.

First of all, I'm leery about big bodies of water – not much more than a tubful for me. Secondly, I felt it was dangerous because I at the time didn’t know how to swim. Of course, Merrill and Clinton knew how to swim – and they probably were more adventurous than me.

 I’m not sure, but Clinton may have called me a little chicken more than once.

So off we went, making our way down the fence, foot by foot, with me grasping tightly to the upper wood fence planks. The hardest part was getting around the wooden posts between sections. We eventually got what seemed like out in the middle of everything and I

Clinton Eastwood for his
high school picture.

was more than ready to head back. However, Clinton noticed a “raft” floating near the fence that we were standing on. He got Merrill to reach out with his one leg and drag it up next to the fence. Then Merrill tested the “raft.” He was too big for it, so Clinton got the brilliant idea of having me take the “raft” for a spin. The “raft” really wasn’t much more than a wood ballet or maybe a wood blank. Clinton kept urging me to get on, and Merrill seemed curious to see if the “raft” would hold me. Then Merrill told me he would save me, or something like that, if I fell in. Oh, that was a big comfort. Well, I finally got up next to the “raft” and stood halfway onto it when it immediately started to sink and tip on its side.

I was stunned. All I could think of was me going down under and never coming back up.

Suddenly Merrill grabbed me and pulled me back onto the fence. I think Clinton actually said something about how I just needed to get onto the middle of the “raft” and then I would be fine. But before long, Merrill started heading back with me gingerly making my way down the fence behind him.

A car submerged in a lake.

I was so happy to get back on firm ground, which is probably why I don’t remember a thing about the rest of the trip.

One of my biggest phobias is driving a car into a lake or river. I can’t count the number of dreams in which I have found myself gasping for air and fighting to get out of the water.

Thinking back about this “adventure,” what if Merrill hadn’t grabbed me and I had gone under? Was Merrill assigned to be my guardian angel? The truth is, he was my guardian angel and protector all of my childhood. But he also was my tormentor – at times.