Roy Lane store was the biggest and the best store there was in Lapwai. It is all torn down now and across over there under that tree there was a bench. The men on Saturdays Lapwai would be full of people if you could believe it. People would be going up and down the streets. The farmers’ wives would be doing their shopping and the Indian women would be doing their shopping. There were a bunch of the them sitting there and dad was sitting there with them and they were talking and telling stories, laughing and stuff. Star J. Maxwell came along. He was a dignified minister to the Methodist church and he was justice of peace and he was a rotary public and he wore thick glasses. They were all talking, laughing and he come and everybody “ta ‘ c méeywi”, glad to see you and all that. Dad said “You know why Jake,” his nickname was Jake, “you know why Jake Maxwell wears those glasses, the real thick, thick glasses with the circles? You know why he wears those?” They said, “No why?” “He can see through women’s clothes. That is why he wears them all the time.” Jake said “Oh Corbett that is not true, don’t say that.” He said, “Well look at those women,” and sure enough there was Nancy Halfmoon, Esther Jackson’s mother, and Matilda Levi walking along. They were kind of walking sideways. Seeing how they are they don’t want him to look at them. Everybody laughed like everything and then it was quiet.

One of the men said, “Jake let me borrow your glasses.” I never did forget that and when I had to make speeches every once in awhile I’d use that because I thought that was the funniest darn thing. I learned so much from my parents.