Cumberland Gal: Bucky Does Not Like Cigars

Bucky Does Not Like Cigars

by Dana Koogler

10/16/2023

In Memory of Gerald A. "Bucky" Cummings aka Pops

for sister Denise Cummings Doyle

Kenny's biological father passed away when he was eight years old. Elmer died in a tragic farming accident. Lena, my mother in law was a single parent for many years until she met the next man in her life. Bucky was introduced to her by Frank Hall and his wife. I think they said they met at a dance. Lena liked to dance and could be a lot of fun. They hit it off and the rest is history. Kenny got a dad and a powerful influence on his life. To this day Kenny is a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers local 917. Bucky was a member for most of his life.

Friday Night Fights in Bennington, Vermont

Bucky told me this story about being a young man in 1940s Bennington, Vermont.

Friday nights Bucky and his pals would get all dressed up and go to town to hang out. They'd hope to meet girls and just have a good time being young. Bennington is Norman Rockwell Country, but not all was as picture perfect and sweet as Norman's paintings.

Bucky was a shorter man and built like a bull. He was strong with a scrappy disposition, but he did not usually instigate fights. There was a group of guys in town who were always looking for a fight and stirring up trouble. He and his pals saw them out and crossed the street to avoid getting mixed up with them. They were truly trying to avoid conflict. Ole Mr. Wooly Bully wasn't havin' any of that. Here he came down the street all dressed up and puffing a cigar like a big man.

He and his cronies crossed the street and confronted Bucky and his pals. Bucky sized the guy up quickly and realized this fellow was head and shoulders taller than him. Back in those days it was popular to build a low cement wall in front of your house and plant lilac bushes by it as a sort of fence.

Bucky was standing near this dude and realized what he had to do. He stepped up on that low wall to equal out the playing field a bit. He aimed for the glowing end of that cigar and swung. The guy went rolling over into the lilac shrubbery. He came up screaming and howling and ran away. Bucky and his buddies went about their evening and thought nothing more of it. He was just glad they didn't get beat up and plans ruined.

He told me he did not see the town bully around for a long time. Weeks went by. He finally got curious enough he asked about him. The guy was in the hospital laid up with a staph infection. When Bucky punched him it drove that burning cigar up the guy's nose. Pops said he was stunned, but karma is a bitch eh?

Dr. Feelgood Was a Bad Neighbor

Bucky was a welder by trade and at one time an instructor with the Sea Bees. He traveled for work and went up north to work during Summers. At season's end he'd return south. It was a good way to make money. The further north you go the higher union pay scale you get. Go north for work.. go south to live.

He had a daughter from a previous marriage and she was small. He went up to work and took an apartment for the two of them. It was one of those townhouse things where you have half upstairs rented and downstairs rented as two separate dwellings. Bucky had the townhouse below this town doctor back in the late 1970s Albany, New York. Key parties were a very real thing. Dr. Feelgood was a swinger. He had swinger parties on the regular. Pops was not a square, but he was raising a little girl who did not need exposure to those types of doings. He also had to get up and go to work early in the morning. No one wants to listen to the sounds of an orgy while they are trying to sleep.

Gross! Bucky spoke to him several times about keeping the noise down please? I have a small daughter here and I don't want her to hear that stuff. The guy shows up at the door puffing a cigar and laughing. Totally ignores Bucky. Shuts the door in his face. Bucky knew from what he'd seen that the town police weren't going to do anything about it. Many of them participated in these orgies. Because of that and because of the guy's standing as a local doctor he was untouchable. Or so he thought.

Bucky told me "Well I'll be darned. Next day dat guy got up to go to his office and every one of da tires on his cadillac were slashed!" He just grinned. Sometimes ya just have to mete out your own justice when there is none to be had.

Armstrong's Restaurant Buffet Tiff

We attended Mt. Carmel Presbyterian church most Sundays early in our marriage. It was the church Kenny grew up in. Ma and Bucky, myself and Kenny and younger brother Chris went on Sundays. After church we'd frequently drive down to Mint Spring and have Sunday lunch at Armstrong's Restaurant. They had a fantastic buffet. We were seated at a booth near the end. I got up to go to the ladies room at one point. I returned to find the tension in the room so bad you could cut it with a knife!

I looked around and quietly asked "What happened while I was gone?" No one spoke at first, but Bucky looked back at me and said "I'll tell ya what went on. I was up at da buffet and dis guy has a long cigar ash hangin' outta his mout.....over da food. I sez ta him "Eh Pops, I'll tank ya not ta hang dat ovah da buffet dere. " He didn't like it and got mad and went off in a huff. I burst out laughing like mad. I did not realize the man in question was sitting directly behind me and Bucky. My shoulder was almost touching him! Ma got even madder than she already was. She proceeded to line me and Bucky both out a penalty. She gave us a severe going over. He was in trouble for speaking up like that. I was in trouble for laughing. I don't know how it is elsewhere but here in the South kids get in trouble for laughing at the misdeeds of siblings. That is what I felt like. Two kids in trouble. Me and Bucky.

She went on to say "We don't speak to people like that here in the South!" Bucky's eyes lit up and he replied "Well by God I do!" I figured I was in for a penny, in for a pound and let go with another fit of laughter. The ride home that afternoon was a quiet one.

I loved that man and his Yankee outspoken ways. I miss him terribly. If you wanted to attract his wrath .. light ya up a cigar and see how it goes for you.