Cold Thoughts From a Half-Century Old Memory

By Robert Seay, U of A Division of Agriculture

First posted on 02-08-2008

BENTONVILLE, Ark. - The recent harsh winter weather and political season reminds me of a similar situation that occurred more than a half-century ago.

Mr. Bennett was not a hermit, although he did live in a one-room shack back in the St. Francis River bottoms. Living only a mile or so away, a visit from him was not uncommon and that’s the way it was on the night of the storm.

The political season was in full swing and, although we had no television, Dad’s Sears & Roebuck radio was picking up the broadcast load and clear. I don’t know that Mr. Bennett cared much for politics, but it was an excuse to sit around a wood stove and enjoy conversation with a neighbor.

The radio picked up a severe weather forecast, but in our location, harsh winter-storms were uncommon and warnings were easily overlooked. However, an hour later the radio static prompted Dad to look outside. Falling temperatures coupled with ice had already moved in.

Although Dad encouraged Mr. Bennett to wait out the storm and spend the night by the wood stove, he decided to try to make the one mile trek to his shack by the river. The ensuing ice storm was as severe as any the Delta had experienced and the night seemed to last forever.

Stirring early to coax more heat from our potbellied stove, Dad thought the bumping on the front door was ol’ Corky, his hound, wanting to come inside. It turned out to be a half-frozen Mr. Bennett!

After becoming disoriented during the storm, Mr. Bennett had bedded down in a fence row, seeking protection in the weeds and brush as he waited out the night. Weeds and brush provide little insulation, certainly not capable of warding off the impact of an ice storm. After the storm passed and as soon as it became light enough to see, a half-frozen Mr. Bennett managed to stumble back to our door.

Even with Mom pouring hot coffee, Dad wrapping him in blankets and us kids standing around watching, it seemed to take all morning for Mr. Bennett to thaw out. There were no medical emergency services back then and folks simply managed to do what they could under the circumstances.

The memory of that cold morning still causes a shiver to pass through me! At this time of year, every vehicle we own contains a cold weather emergency kit. Periodically, kids or grandkids will question why, but the half-century old story of Mr. Bennett continues to provide an answer.