Recalling the Hay Shakers and Silver Bullets and the fun of square dancing

MIDDLEBURGH — Today is the 18th day of November and right now it is 3:30 p.m. and already getting darkish. The OFs gathered at the Middleburgh Diner in Middleburgh this morning and immediately the chatter started and the din rose.

As many of the OFs age, so do the inner parts of their ears. Now this part of the ear does not flex like it used to; this causes the OFs to speak louder so they can be heard, which causes the collective din to rise, hence the whole place becomes noisy. With this group this phenomenon can’t be helped.

As usual, the OFs drifted back some years to when the joints moved better and we camped along the creek, slept in tents and on the ground. We traipsed through the woods and fields, crawling over logs and fences with a shotgun or rifle at the ready, and hunted, and many of the OFs traveled all over square dancing. Eastern style, western style, and even the style taught in 7th grade.

It was found that some of the OFs even danced with their own kin as callers. One OF’s father-in-law called, and he called with live music. Another OF had two callers in his family — one uncle called with live music from the band Pearly Brand; the other was also the father-in-law of the OF who called from records.

One OF inherited the records of his father-in-law. These records are quite neat; they have one side with a caller, calling the dance and the other side just the music so whatever caller is using the record can use his or her calling style, or make some subtle changes if he or she wants. The other OF had books of calls to practice with.

Square dancing then and probably is, still now, lots of fun. The Hay Shakers was one group, the Silver Bullets was another, and a club from Altamont was brought up but none of the OFs could remember what it was called.

Some OFs traveled far and wide to dance, some as far as Kentucky, Maine, and Ohio, just to dance. There was almost a contest to see who had the coolest matching outfits, the ladies with crinoline under their dresses, and the guys matching ladies wearing western style shirts and pants.

The OFs talked about another activity that seems to be on the wane (only some OFs said it was coming back) and that is bowling. A couple of OFs mentioned they were in more than one group and bowled in more than one league. An OF mentioned that bowling could be done longer than square dancing; square dancing was a lot of exercise, both cardio and aerobic, and could be tough on the joints.

One OF was a pin setter and set pins in the little bowling alley at the end of the Parrott House and under the (at that time) post office in the village of Schoharie. Just like square dancing, some of the OFs traveled all over bowling with their respective teams and felt they were good enough to enter tournaments. Some were.

Twins and tattoos

At our table, bowling led to a brief discussion on twins, because of twins that one OF knew that were pro bowlers and bowled almost the exact same averages.

Then it was noted that most of the OFs at that table had kids that had twins. This scribe found each of the OFs that had family with twins said they were identical. They could not tell them apart until they were older, and one OF said even now he still doesn’t really know which one he is talking to.

Then some of the OFs began talking about tattoos, and what are these young people and young adults thinking about. A few of the OFs had tattoos done when they were in the service, nothing like the tattoos of today.

All of those OFs who had them way back when are sorry now because all the tattoos eventually turned into  black blobs. However, as one OF put it, the newer inks and equipment may work much better — only time will tell.

Those OMOTM that hitched ole Dobin to the wagon and trotted on down to the Middleburgh Diner in Middleburgh were: Harold Guest, Wally Guest, Ed Goff, William Lichliter, Robert Schanz, George Washburn, Jim Austin, Randy Barber, Marty Herzog, Pete Whitbeck, Al Schager, Jamehy Darrah, Rev. Jay Francis, Jack Norray, Dick Dexter, Jerry Cross, John Jaz, Herb Bahrmann, Lou Schenck, and me.