Richard Purdom worked on the dock and had figured out that Steele's place had its share of good-looking girls. Even though accommodations left a little to be desired the benefits were worth the inconvenience. After all the picnic table wasn't too bad for sleeping when it was leveled and it was only a few pair of jeans that Steele threw in the trash. Purdom was renting a cabin at Eagle Rock with a couple of buddies but as the summers passed he spent much more time at Steele's place.
Lester, Purdom's dad, had a cabin down on Big Creek but decided that his boy didn't need any encouragement to party. After attending a party there Kukal and Steele decided he was right. Purdom didn't know when to feed his guest but even if they didn't come back he probably didn't need a greeter with a hammer anyway. Lester sold the cabin soon after one of Richard's parties.
Purdom started the pig roast era with a bang. The best place to have it had to be East Rock Creek Bridge so the planning began. Purdom invited everyone including his parents and Bradford, the local water patrolman. There was a roast, a fire, a dance and oh yes the Sheriff's party with six patrol cars came in a little later. After moving a few cars everyone was happy and the party continued and Lloyd danced on. On the way home from the party Courtney had the first of her many wrecks by colliding with a deer. Kukal and Mitchell got to clean the deer while Steele looked on and Smith, Smith, Downing, Stibal, and Green slept on top of each other on the living room floor.
Many people will remember the Ball and Prior graduation party but the parents will remember for the wrong reason. Don't know all the facts but it appeared that for a graduation present the girls got to stay at the lake in someone's camper. Somehow Purdom and Kukal brought the girls over to Steele's place in one of Big M's fishing boats. The girls were in bad shape by the time they got to Steele's and things didn't get any better so finally Purdom and Kukal proceeded to take the girls back to Viney. They had to carry the girls up the hill to the campsite and while setting them down saw legs on the other side of the camper. Being real brave Purdom and Kukal scedattled very quickly. Seems as though they had a Lester and he had called the parents who couldn't seem to find a phone number for Steele's.
Not sure when all this happened but during the course of the next few years, George Downing broke his eardrum trying to ski around the boat, Jackie Mitchell hurt her arm falling off the second tear of a pyramid, Stibal perfected the Pete Rose dive, George and Scott Green made the famous "Pic and Roll" tape, and Verona kept bringing these crazies down.
Other Emporia people made the scene, Deb Pierce got up on her first try on the slalom ski, Susan Penny and Vicki Renfro placed the call to tell Steele about his trailer being hit by a tornado from Pierce City, Val Creswell learned to ski, Liz and Becky Torrey made several pig roast and always walked with their eye's on the path, Kathy Lilly got lost because she was skiing too far from the boat, Marilyn Dailey and Sarah Bouquin learned then forgot how to ski, Mark Shook's buddy learned not to trust home made handicap aids. Gary Burgess found Matt Grant's ring but wanted to walk home. Darrell Polzin wouldn't let him. Rause stole and wrecked Kukal's Datson. Lynn brought down a world champion shot putter who could horse any slalom ski. Jim Mitchell perfected all but the landing of a back flip on skis. Jackie Mitchell hurt her arm when she fell off the top of a pyramid. Penny Potter, Kevin Parhm, Doug Collinge brought down the sacrificial bridge jumper, Robbie Rooney. Sharon Collinge perfected going to the bathroom out of the vehicle. Deb Schnakenberg called in sick to stay another day and then apologized 30 years later. Ralston became the bridge jumper and ate the worm.
Got to have a whole paragraph to describe how Steele tried to saturate the are with Black people. First he brought down fellow teacher Stewart Nelson. Stewart had a great time dodging snakes and water petrolman. Jim Bradford had a real bad joke about trolling for alligators. A little later Steele, being the blackest teacher on the staff at Emporia High was selected to sponsor the Black Student Organization. Well you know Steele. "If you can organize it we will go to Table Rock Lake. They did, we did and the rest is history. A good time was had by Benny Essics, Mark Drake, Sharon Hutcherson, and others. They all really liked the yard art just north of Roaring River. Bet the guys were real glad to change the hair styles because they took more time in the makeup room than the girls. Fro's were the thing.
Matt Grant is a story all in his own right. His marriage Jennifer, Darryl's sister, had come to an end and the lake was a place to bring a couple of real neat kids. Tye was and Nathan got to come down if the right girl was to accompany Matt. They also got to come down to see cousin Cass. Most of this started after Darryl and Annie had moved out of the little trailer into their own underground home. Seems as though they didn't want to invite all that company down while they were squatting. Annie, Courtney, and Cass had spent most of one summer in the silver star trailer. That trailer would wake you up good when it rained. Seems like Steele wasn't much better at wiring then as now.