Singer/songwriter Benny Mardones had a hit tune in 1980 called “Into the Night.” The beginning lyrics, if sung by some old guy during a karaoke session today, this fool would undoubtedly be heckled or laughed at.
“She’s just 16 years old
Leave her alone, they said
Separated by fools
Who don’t know what love is yet.“
Benny was 34 years old when he first performed this song, yet I suppose most listeners didn’t give it much thought back then. I did, and still do, knowing that if some guy that age tried putting the moves on my teenage daughter, he would’ve suffered the consequences.
Another singer, Jerry Lee Lewis, followed through on his infatuation in the 1950s with a 13-year-old cousin, going so far as to marry her. He was already married. Lewis was scorned by his peers for doing so and was almost arrested. Jerry Lee Lewis stayed with Myra Gale Brown for 13 years before going on to wed 5 others.
A 1909 postcard I came across follows what I’m talking about here. The 116-year-old card, featuring a Methodist church on the front in Hazelton, Kansas, was sent from someone in Guthrie, Oklahoma, to Mr. Reed Tribble. An interesting history was found by looking deep inside.
Unfortunately, the sender can’t be identified because his initials appear as chicken scratches, something on the order of TOS. I suppose Elvis Reed Tribble knew this person well, with me believing it was a minister. The message reads as follows:
“Hello Reed. How are you? I am going to paper our pantry this morning so you know what is ahead of me. I wish you could arrange it so you can come in Sunday evening and go to church but I don’t suppose you could do that let me know if you can. TOS
I believe this person had concern for Reed Tribble’s spiritual well-being. He needed to be more affirmative, unfortunately giving Tribble an escape route by saying, “…but I don’t suppose you could do that…”
Born on January 3, 1881, Elvis Reed Tribble led a sad yet interesting life. In 1898, at the age of 14, he accidentally shot and killed his younger brother while rabbit hunting. That tragedy undoubtedly bothered him ’til the end.
Reed Tribble married Miss I. B. Arnold on August 13, 1919. That wouldn’t have been such a big deal had the girl been older, yet she was only 15, and he was 38. ‘Rob the cradle’ comes to mind here. Several Oklahoma newspapers made sure to headline this piece of gossip. I suppose there were many folks forecasting, “That marriage will never last!”
Elvis Reed Tribble began as a farmer but soon gave up the plow for a mail vehicle, joining the US Postal Service around 1917. Perhaps that’s how he met his future bride, at a mailbox.
His rural route consisted of driving 58 miles each day. Retiring in 1951, I calculated that Tribble drove approximately 656,676 miles through rain, snow, sleet, and hail to make his deliveries. I’m sure those miles didn’t come without numerous flats while getting stuck in Oklahoma mud and snow.
Elvis (Elves) Reed Tribble died in 1965, with his wife passing away in 1991. Regardless of what people might’ve said, in and around Guthrie, Oklahoma, they remained together the whole time. Mrs. Ira B. Tribble never remarried after her husband’s death. The couple had one daughter, Zola Mae.
I like to write junk... 