This was my first road trip with Bob Nethery (Dec. 1969), my business partner. Having received an order for an under-reamer and a 12-foot-diameter auger, which Bob needed clarification on its design. “If I could just look at the actual tool, it would be a big help,” he said. The nearest example was found in Waco, Texas.

We left Atlanta after lunch on Saturday, arriving in New Orleans before midnight, “I could use a cup of chicory-coffee about now. How ’bout you?” Fine I said. Back on the road again, enhanced by the wildly strongest coffee. 

Bob, learned his trade as a tool builder working in Waco, Texas. He was remembering old stories of our destination, Waco, Texas. 

“I remember a little waitress, who worked in this greasy spoon cafe where we ate breakfast every morning. Most days we ate lunch there also, just so we could see this little gal, her name was Bonnie Parker. The year 1931, I remember her telling me her birth year, which was the same year of my birth, 1910. That would have made us both 21 years old in 1931. 

“I determined right off this was one wild girl. Proof came along shortly, his name was Clyde Barrow, from west Dallas.

“We never saw our little waitress again, She was less than 5 feet tall and the Barrow fella’ wasn’t much taller, I’d say around five and a half feet.

“Next news we got, our little girl and the Barrow boy were robbing and shooting people, over in Oklahoma.”

Arriving at our destination around noon on Sunday, the destination turned out to be his former employer’s shop. 

“He’s supposed to meet us here at about noon, if he doesn’t show up soon, I suppose I could find out what we need to know by slipping thru this loose piece of siding.” My partner had just made me a felon.

We made it back to Atlanta without being arrested. We completed the 12-foot-diameter under-reamer. Its design allowed for a 22-foot spread footing on a foundation caisson, 12 foot in diameter, 110 foot depth. We billed for one single flight auger 12 foot diam. and the under-reamer, at $72,000 to Commonwealth Electric Co., Conshohocken, Pa.

Tom Rogers

Moultrie, Ga.