Recycling a Cushman. (Just a Personal Recollection.) By Gene W. Edwards. Posted 7/16/2023.
(The dumbest thing I ever did!)
I had a summer — college money — job in St. Louis, 1965, and I bought a well-used 1946 Cushman motor scooter from someone for a few dollars. I hardly had a chance to use it before it was time to return to school, Kirksville, MO. I was going to sell it to a local Harley (?) dealer but it threw a rod near to the store. Still, I got there early, pushing my scooter, hoping to sell it to the repair shop.
A guy waiting for the dealership to open wanted to buy it, which I’d previously planned to drive the 150ish miles “home.” He tied in on a 20’+ rope leash to the back of his car, me on the scooter. He got his car up to at least 55 mph on his way to E. St. Louis. The scooter started wobbling, side to side. He didn’t notice that in his mirror. Finally, it almost reached the pavement, center to left, center to right, back and forth, back and forth. I ticked myself off the scooter and rode down the highway, my body prone but right side up, feet first, feet up in the air, and guiding with my arms. The scooter tumbled end over end, “waking up” the driver. The pavement tore a shoe off and tore my dress shacks. I was wearing a sleeveless white shirt. My arms hurt! We tied the scooter to a tree in a nearby forest stand. The guy bought me a bottle of Bactine for my severely-in-pain arms and drove me back — to my apartment house.
I took a bus to NE MO. Arriving in Kirksville, a few miles from my parents’ home, I called home for a ride there from a service station. I was passing out from pain. I told my stepmom. She immediately drove me to the hospital, where I spent three days, 1/4"+ scars on the top of each arm. I had worked 102 out of 106 days that summer, saved all my school money. The hospital got every penny of it. I had to work part-time all school year. For a few years afterward, I got Motor Vehicle ownership tax notices. I told them I didn’t have the scooter anymore.
It may still be tied to that tree! Help yourself!