Written 9/12/03

When I was around 4 or 5 I liked to wander.

Ok, let me start from the beginning. On or around 1949-50 I decided to wander off the farm.

I was born and raised on a farm NE of Bruce SD with my parents and five siblings. The order of birth are Wesley, Ronny, Dale, Delpha , Myron & Julie.

So you see, I am the thorn between two roses, but that’s another story. I was suppose to have been a girl.

So living on the farm, we were living the FREE life. With that combination, FREEDOM and the lust for exploring, I am ready to head out.

Tyke, our dog, and I decided to head for the Sioux River a ¼ mile to the west of our farm home. I’ve been told that I took off my clothes.

So, I guess I stripped down and headed north up the Sioux River. I remember looking back at felt OK as long as I could see the roof of our home. Tyke and I were looking for turtle eggs. Well, I was, who knows what Tyke was looking for.

I remember putting my feet in the water and decided it was pretty cold and also the river was pretty high as I guess it was in the spring of the year.

So I was gone for some two hours or so.

In the meantime, my mother was worried about me and told my older brother Wesley to go looking for me.

He came upon my clothes on the riverbank and ran home to mom.

My mother called my dad who was at a farm auction I’ve heard that the auctioneer made an announcement for Adolph Holter to go home as your youngest son is missing and presumed drowned in the river.

I’ve heard that Otto Rust, another farmer, was seining for my body downstream. The whole community was searching for my body.

After a while I meandered back home. I was angry as someone stole my clothes.

About all I remember after that was I wanted to play with my cousin Wally, but I guess my punishment was no playing with Wally.

To this day, I’m known as the wandering Myron. Even now, working at the Y downtown I’ve "earned" the reputation by my co-workers saying, "where’s Myron?" I’m trying to improve, but bad habits are hard to break.

Who was it that said "A person who beats to his own drummer?" … Was that Thoureau?

That would be me I guess I beat to my own drum.