Milliron: The Wallet Gun 6 18 18

Milliron Farm barn at the top of the hill.
Original art from the Smith family home.

It’s Milliron Monday! I hope your week is off to a great start and you are following along as the legacy of Dr. Abbott “Pete” Smith continues. I am revisiting Dr. Smith’s Biography (Milliron: Dr. Abbott “Pete” Smith The Biography, June 2018, Monday Creek Publishing) every Monday and posting original interviews/anecdotes that did not make the final edits.

Reviewing the story of Pete’s tumbling ride through the Milliron woods, I revisited my first draft of Ibrahim Schubert, the young man who was riding Jody’s (Pete’s widow) New Forest Pony, Junco (Junie), alongside Pete. Junie was carrying saws, machetes, etc. in his pack, as well as Ibrahim. Pete and Ibrahim were on their way to clear the Milliron horseback riding trails.

Here is a section of the first draft, which, like the remainder of Dr. Smith’s biography, was continually edited for consistency and word length (it’s the industry standard that a biography contains no more than 100,000 words). Pete’s brother, Jim, was disappointed that I removed the wallet gun scenario from the final draft…

Pete was always building, reconstructing, dreaming, and… working. He enlisted the help of whoever was available and willing to work. This day, Ibrahim Schubert was helping Pete pour concrete. Looking at Ibrahim pouring and smoothing cement in a deep hole, Pete said that Ibrahim looked like a giant dung beetle on a cow patty of cement.

Pete really liked Ibrahim; his work ethics, love of horses, and youthful energy. They were standing in the clinic parking lot that morning when Pete told Ibrahim that he wanted to show him something. Ibrahim and another farmhand were intrigued when Pete began digging in his pants pocket. He unexpectedly pulled out his wallet. “I bought this at the vet meeting in Chicago last week,” Pete grinned. It was a two-shot 22 wallet gun. He pointed his wallet to the sky and fired two shots. The farmhands were startled by the shots. Pete grimaced and enjoyed their reaction. Pete returned the wallet gun to his pocket, which later would take a tumble through the Milliron woods.

“Let’s go cut some brush,” Pete murmured, as they made the uphill trek to the barn.

Ibrahim was in charge of Junie, the Smith family’s beautiful white New Forest Pony. He strapped three chainsaws to Junie’s pack saddle and followed Pete and Bud through the barnyard.

The story is history. A wild ride through the Milliron woods that left Pete bruised for a long time. You can read the complete story of “Bud” in Dr. Smith’s biography Milliron, available locally at Little Professor Book Center, Court Street, Athens, Ohio, and all online bookstores. Next week, I will look for Ibrahim's interview in the archives and repost it (time got away from me this week!). 

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Enjoy the week ahead! Thanks for connecting!

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Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave to us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled and pioneer veterinarian.