Milk an' Freewater

I wouldn’t think Milton-Freewater would have a snake problem. I have been through Milton-Freewater a couple of times. Never saw any snakes. But when I was a little boy. Very young. I thought that the city was “Milk an’ Freewater“. We never stopped to get any free milk. I always wanted to stop. I mean free milk. Why not stop. My Grandma would say, “Douglas not Milk an', Milton!". I heard, “Douglas not Milk an', Milk an‘!”. It made no sense. Free milk, and nobody wanted any, and Milton wanted to give away, "Milk an’ Freewater".

More about “Milk an’ Freewater“. I have four bothers. One older, two younger, and two cousins, one the same age as me, and one the same age as my oldest brother. I do not remember what I am about to tell you, but it is a family story told by more than one person, so it must be true. My youngest brother must have been a brand new baby, less than six months old. The year and month was probably July, or August 1957. The younger brother must have been a toddler, my older brother, my two cousins, and myself would have been between three and, four. Highly mobile, but with no real direction. Back then nobody had car seats, seat belts, doors that could be locked, so that the door could not be opened from the inside. Six very young boys with a four year age spread, and one very stressed out Grandmother stopped at a gas station in Milton-Freewater. Five boys, and one very stressed out Grandmother left Milton-Freeewater. I was left behind in “Milk an' Freewater“. The Gas station man, might of have been Milton, must of known that my Grandmother would eventually return gave me a bowl of soft ice-cream to eat while I waited. She only went a few miles north of Milton-Freewater. About halfway to Walla Walla WA. She said that it was quiet in the back seat, so she counted heads. True story, and I am sticking to it! So you are from a town that might have free milk, and a snake problem. That must be hard to explain to little boys.