The Cutoff folks all named the camps for areas around Memphis. H&R Camp was called Millington, Sparkies camp was Frazier, Bordeaux became Bartlett, and Nel-Win was Germantown – because they owned their property and were a little better than us renters.
The great thing ’bout the camps at the cutoff though was that there really was no status. We all got along. Bankers were no better than cooks. At the local bar, nobody cared who you were, we all drank, fished and loved a good fish fry.
The town never recognized the Cutoff as a place that you would hang out at, or some place to be proud of. Well I did I love it, and the people that lived at Bordeaux and other camps, they were all great – nothing mattered.
But when someone fell on hard times, our support team always had a fund raiser that brought them out of the hole. The Goff, Tucker, Spencer, Dean, and Cooper families always held it all together.
I worked, partied and cleaned fish with these folks. We ‘uz good friends.
Names to remember?
Pete the well digger, Teddy Bear, Jim Tucker’s a bad sapsucker, John the Goofy, Starvin’ Marvin, Moose Tookie, Roger Dodger,
Raymond Sands, Jalbo, Coopon, Can’t-tell-a tater-till-u-peal-it, King Baby, Boathead, Fo, Towbuddy, Sam-the-sham, Chock and Wee Bob,Strick9, Ed Miller Chicken for dinner,Marcus and Helen Campbell, Sparky, Judge Low, Simp Tate, Hezzie, Uncle Debbie, Boogy Edington, Vince Gill, Roy Bullock, Bobby Hawkins, Ed Gossett, Mr. Willy Anderson, Pete Sardine, Phil Gagleano, Jimmy Ganong, Two Dogs, Joe Small, Cask King, Rico, Crazy Shirley, Glen Whitt and Jane, Big Roy Hurst, Glen The Marlboro man, Howard McGee, Popi, Mr. Slick, Fred Watkins, Charley Chan, Billy-wan, Ms. Vicky, Mad-dog, Hard Times, Gary Hicky Daughtry, Dennis Percival, Henry Massy.
Keep that line wet
Tait Tate
