Police Story

I spent four years of my life as a police officer in Boise, Idaho. It was from late 1964 to August, 1969. I worked for the Ada County Sheriff’s Department as a jailer, patrolman and public information officer. The first two positions are pretty much self explanatory, the other one may need an explanation. I am a good public speaker and due to that, the Sheriff assigned me to go around giving speeches to promote law enforcement and give the profession a better public image. I spoke to youth groups, PTA’s, church groups, Rotary Clubs, etc.

Those were days which I will always remember because they helped make me the person I am. I had many personal experiences and I observed many things which happened to the people I worked with which taught me much. I have seen humankind at its worst and best. I still dream at night, on occasion, about some of the things I have seen. I became kind of famous as a school teacher for my many “police stories”. I will still tell one once in a while even yet to get across a point or teach someone a concept of value. I had a level of success in this profession. In 1967 I was nominated as “Policeman of the Year” in Boise. I also held the highest arrest record in our department for quite a while. I worked hard at being a good, effective police officer.

I left the profession in August, 1969 to become a school teacher in Salmon, Idaho. I have never regretted that decision because I feel like I have made a difference over the years in education. I have taught and been a school administrator for thirty-nine years. I am retiring in just three more months on June 30, 2008.

One summer evening I was patroling along Hill Road.. This is a roadway which runs east/west along the foot of the hills on the north side of the valley. It was about 5:00 pm and the sun was low in the west. The sun was in my eyes and there was a car in front of me. The sun had to be in his eyes too.

Along the north side of the road there were houses with driveways which ran down pretty steeply onto Hill Road. Suddenly, a small boy on a scooter came speeding out of a driveway and into the path of the car in front of me. The guy did not see the child and simply ran over him with his car. I am not sure the sun was a factor since the kid was so close to the front of the car the driver could not have stopped anyway. I saw this tragedy since I was about 100 feet behind the car and we were traveling about 30 miles per hour.

The driver realized he had run over something and he immediately stopped. I pulled up and stopped too and flipped my emergency lights on. It was obvious that an ambulance was needed as the child was flipping around on the ground, clearly injured. I called on the radio for an ambulance and then jumped from the car and ran to the little boy on the road.

What I saw was a heart wenching sight. The little boy had severe injuries. His chest was crushed and it appeared a tire had gone over him. His face was torn nearly away from his head. Apparently something under the car had hooked him and done this. He was making gurgling noises and flipping like a fish. I took him in my arms and tried to calm him. His jugular vein was cut and blood was pumping out of his throat with each heartbeat. I applied direct pressure to this wound and stopped the bleeding as well as I could. I was able to keep this little fellow from bleeding to death until the ambulance arrived. However, he died of massive injuries in the hospital later. Now for the rest of the story.

All during this drama the little boy’s mother was running around screaming that she had “been telling him all day to stop riding his scooter down the driveway because this may happen.” I did not say much to her except to get the name and other information. It was no use to add to her pain by asking why she didn’t make him stop. There is a huge lesson in this story. If you see your kid doing something which may get him hurt or killed, MAKE HIM STOP! Kids sometimes do dumb things because they don’t think about the consequence. Parents should know enough to control things like this.

The little boy was named Kelly Mencer. He was eight years old at the time this happened. My son Mike was eight then too. Mike is soon going to be 46. Kelly would be 46 now too. How tragic!

The driver of the car was very distraught. He didn’t see it coming at all and had no way to control what happened. I had seen the whole thing. He couldn’t ask for a better witness to what took place. As I talked with him I smelled alcohol on his breath and he told me he had a glass of wine with his supper. I could easily see he was not under the influence of this and I told him so. I also made him take a breathalizer test and do several tests which you give for drunk drivers. He was not under the influence of alcohol. I told the guy that the reason I was doing this was so I could testify in the coming lawsuit that he was not drunk. He said he doubted he would get sued, it was so obvious that it was a horrible accident. I told him wait and see. Sure enough, in about a year here came two attorneys to see me. They had been hired by the parents of the little boy and they were planning to file a lawsuit. I made it very clear that I would be testifying in favor of the driver and showed them my evidence to prove the guy was not at fault. The suit never did materialize so I guess they decided they had no case.

This is one incident in my life as a policeman. There are many more. Maybe I will tell them all someday, who knows?

Written by Mike Hicks

When Harry Met Doris

This account is taken from Harry Hicks' life story. Very little has been edited from its original content.

Alvin danced with Bonny and I of coarse dances once with Bonny, then I retired
to the back of the hall where the stag line always built up. And was talking to the boys
about the girls and one thing and another, telling funny stories and getting about ready
to pop the question "Any one care for a drink?"

When I noticed Wilford Hogan, that Mormon sucker, coming across the floor with
a beautiful little Blonde. He had his mouth twisted up in a supposed to be drunken lear
and walking in a supposed to be drunken swagger. I could tell he was trying to play a
big shot with me. And he sneeringly introduced me to the Beautiful little Blonde.
Dorishh Brown, this ishhh my old buddy Harry H H HIckshhh, like a drunken slur. I gave
him one look and I seen no more of him as I gazed on the Little Blonde, he fell out of my
gaze.

She said "you’re the hardest guy to catch up with. I've been hunting you for 3
weeks and trying to get and introduction to you. I'm sure please that I finally caught up
with you and got someone to introduce us". I stammered and stuttered "I'm very happy
to know you Miss Brown, and would you care to dance?" I knew if I could get her to
dance that was my best solution. I thought of what I had learned from Farnsworth "Try
to win a fight talking and you'll lose."

Besides I wanted to hold her close and pretend. You see, the other girls was no
glamor for me because I couldn't pretend. And then I wanted a chance to gain my
composure and give my face and neck a chance to come back to the original color. She
told me she was born on the last of September and those people born under the
September 30, Libra sign was talkers and they may blurt out any thing. I was glad she
told me that, for she kept up a steady stream of language. I think she knew how hard it
was for me to speak.

She told me how the family had come to the country just like pioneers (in this day
and age). The whole family with teams and covered wagons, and the boys driving the
horses and mules and 4-5 cattle along behind. While Ma Brown and Curt and Doris,
Lola and Louise and Chuck, the baby, came on ahead in a Model T Ford and camped
up on the bar by Jessy Creek, because they knew the Parmenters.

"Do you know Ralph and Frank Parmenter?" I told her yes, they are the only
Mormon friends I have. "Now you have three" she said "because you forgot to count
me and if you count my Mother, you'll have four." I said "I don't know your Mother."
"Well, she knows you - because I've told her about you. Told her I was going to marry
you-- so there."

Well, if that is so you will have to not be scared of me because no one that I like
is scared of me, because I will not hurt any-body I like. We finished the dance talking
and joking happily and I lost my fear of her. After this dance, there's something I have
to do, so I'll leave you for a little while. "What are you going to do? Can't I go with you?"
I said "No, I'll be right back, I'm going to get rid of some Seagrams and feed Hogans'
goat some Sloe Gin." "What's that, what's that." she cried after me.

Well, I caught Wilford Hogan on the way out to the car of Vernons and I said to
Wilford Hogan. "Since you are such a nice boy to introduce to that, what's her name
girl, I'm gonna give you a bottle of wine. It's called Slow Gin. You gotta drink a lot
because it is slow to take hold. I figured since you are drinking any how, it won't be
noticible the way you can hold your licker."

So I gave the fifth of Sloe Gin to Hogan, and taking the Seagrams out of my
pocket and passed it to Alvin and told him I didn't want it. I was going to set in the car
all evening with a girl, and when he wanted the car, we would go home.

Then I went back to see if the Beautiful Blonde Doris was just teasing me or not.
She was waiting for me and consented to go out and set in the car and get acquainted.
Just st that time the band played " The Waltz you Saved for Me". We danced it holding
each other closely. Then, I loved her and remembered my prayer. And as we went out
of the door arm in arm, I saw Wilford Hogan swilling that Sloe Gin like it was going out
of style. I said to myself, I hate to have your head in the morning. That became our
dance ever after.

We sat in the car until about 1 or 2.00 and when Alvin came out to take Bonny
home, we got out and I walked her home, after having a hamburger, about all I could
afford. We talked all evening about horses and dogs and cattle. She was 1 of a family
of 8 and a cow-punchers girl. She told me about the Bull Pastures over in Wyoming
and her Father and Mother and especially how proud she was to be a good Mormon.
And I was to be a pretty good Mormon too, but it was to take 50 years to do it. The
conversation didn't lag and to this day it never has.

I guess you can say we had a usual courtship of two people very much in love.
The thrill of the first kiss, it has never worn off. The first time I accidentally brushed my
hand against her breast, and many loving tenderness that was to be ours through the
years.

Well we met on Thanksgiving, had our first date on Christmas. When I was to
meet her Mother and Father, she said "This is the man I'm going to marry", and that’s
before we ever talked about marriage since the first time she spoke of it. Her mother,
Mrs. Brown, was making carrot pudding for Christmas dinner, and insisted that I take a
bite. It was an old family favorite, not unlike plum pudding. I have since learned to like
it very much, and my wife carries on the tradition. Although some sweeter than that
pudding of Ma Brown's. She treated me very reserved and quiet, and I was mannerly
and polite. She gave me a taste of that pudding, although it was not quite sweet
enough for me, I said it was very good.

The house had a very peaceful atmosphere. Just the Mother, my girl, and the
baby on the floor. But she kept up a very interesting conversation about the family and
their likes and dislikes. I could tell that she worshipped her father. As she had a father
image of him ever after. It seems that her father was up to the timber getting a load of
wood, and they were expecting him back at any time. It was early in the evening when
he finally came in, and she immediately threw herself in her father's arms and he was
very boisterous and began to tease her and play, like fathers play with their daughters,
fun but reserved too. I expect she was showing off for my benefit.

Finally, her brothers, Scott, Jim, Larry and Dale came in. After they all but Dale
took a turn at teasing her or pinching her I noticed they were all a quite loving family,
and didn't care who knew it. But I noticed the boys all reserved the dignity of their
sister, although their teasing seemed to anger her, I knew it was all put on.
Then she introduced me to her father as Boone Brown. "His name is really

Achillies, but we call him Chill or Boone." It seems he had earned the name of Boone,
because the family thought of him as a Frontiersman. Then she introduced me to her
other brothers, Scott, Jim, Larry and the small one about 8 or 9 years old.
Chill said “Now, to go with my daughter, you got to whip me or Scott with the
boxing gloves, and Jim immediately brought a pair out to me. It seemed his way of
getting acquainted.

This pleased me to no end, as I was proud of my ability and was only happy to
show her. I grinned and laughed all over to scare them and even boxed a few steps
and flicked my nose like boxers do. I chose Scott as they knew I would, because it
would not do to take a chance on making a fool of her Dad. And I knew she would only
make fun of Scott. Scott was a husky boy, just a little shorter than I, about the same
weight and quite a harmful looking gent. With a slight overbite that made him look like a
bull dog. I was laughing and grinning and acting as though I was anxious to get the
gloves on, like I was a little punchy. “I’ll fight Scott, I'll fight Scott" I said. And the other
boys was helping Scott get the gloves on.

Grinning all the time, like the cat that got the cream, I knew they were thinking
“we’ll show this feller how we grow em over in Wyoming". Well, we started in, I a
sparring around the floor a little to let him set the pace. I always let the other man set
the pace, so I'll know how hard to hit. I never hit any-one as hard as I can hit.
Scott began like he was going to finish me up quick, swinging as hard as he
could. That is the easiest kind of fighter, I could not take the same procedure, as if I did,
I would down him in one flurry. So I decided to keep him pushed off and let him hit
nothing but arms and elbows, which he did.

I speared him with an easy left-left once in a while, to spur him on and as I
expected, he soon tired and set into swinging the harder and harder. Then I mad him
furious by stepping by his right side when he would miss me on the inside by a big hay
maker right. And stepping behind him, turning at the same time, I would tap him on the
shoulder, or the back of the head. And say “Here I am". Well, he never laid a glove on
me. I used to do that often in camp where I would meet all comers every eve. I could
duck inside of it. If I could see that I was going to take a blow and if I could see it was
going to be a hard one. I would closen up to the blow, so it was not at the farthest reach
when it hit me. This will ruin the effect of the blow.

I could be quite a clever boxer for a short time, but I would soon get disgusted
with the dancing and toe work and pecking at some one like a ballet dancer. Because it
was more to my liking to be a fighter and be forceful. I would make feints or back off,
and was up to something to get an opponent to set a pattern, then bingo- I'd suddenly
break that pattern.

I invented what they used to call Harry's Corkscrew. I throw that 4-5 times, it
would do no harm to any one, then I would start another one, but I'd let my arm fall to
my side, and bring a hard upper cut to their Solar Plexus, or right near under the heart.
I learned how to throw an effective punch and every punch I threw, you could peg a
name on it, and it was effective.

The boy's growing up do not learn to fight any-more. I've seen several so called
fights, by I'd say about 20 year olds. They run in and slap at each other like girls. I
swear, gawd, it makes me want to throw up. When finally one of the boys hit the other
one, he started to cry and said I didn't mean it, honest I didn't mean to hit you. I ran
back inside the shop I was cleaning and couldn't believe my eyes.

My Dad was considered a tough fighting man and I whipped him easily at 19, and
he never even could hit me. So he ran in and got the .06-30.06 and was going to shoot
me. Mama and I took the gun away from him. I felt if the boys fight like that, I must be
a holy terror, even if I am 58. I will not linger on that any longer,

After Doris played with the family for some time, we went on about 3 blocks up
the street and one block over and I introduced Doris to my Mother and Father. They
liked her, Dad didn't say much to her, just grinned and winked at her. But she liked my
Mother very much. Immediately Mother was very entertaining and interesting. We eat
a bite or two at our place and talked and visited with Mother and Mothers sister, Aunt
Hatty, who her husband left when she got so crippled up with arthritis, she was no use
to him.

Saved By An Indian Woman

This account is taken from Harry Hicks' life story. Very little editing was done on grammar, punctuation, and word usage.

I was one more time to feel the worry and fear of sickness for I swelled all up with Bright's Disease and Dropsey. My blood and urine mixed even in my Privates and swelled all up and became distorted. My eyes swelled up and up about to the level of my heart. I became puffy and kinda glazed all over, from the water buildup. My Mother came up to get me, and I felt like everything would be allright and I was so relieved I could sleep, and when I woke up, I was in Salmon not Challis.

But I had to sleep propped up in bed because of my heart splashing in the water every time it would beat. Mama put me in the back room and told me to be quiet; the Doctor was coming with the undertaker, and crying, she told me they were coming to take me away.

"Clyta" said the Dr. "We came for that dead boy. It's against the law to not bury a body when they die". I immediately raised up in bed and said "You get out of here you Son of a Bitch, you've made your last mistake". Some time after they left, I was lying in bed talking to the Angel of Death. I had seen him standing at the foot of my bed waiting but up until this time, I was afraid to talk to him. I remember him very well, and he answered me and said he would leave me to live for now, but I musn't forget him for he would be after me when I became an old man, and I have never seen him again, but will know him when I do.

An Indian Woman appeared at our door and saying over and over " I can fixum boy, I can fixum boy." Just think how mutch nerve it took for my mother to absolutely reject the Dr., who was treating the same trouble on several other boys and girls at the same time, including Hellen, Matheus McKinney's sister, and by the way they all died.

There was an epidemic in Salmon at about the time we were 8-9 years old, it wiped out nearly all the children of that age and there being no new comers, it showed up as we got older. There were Scott Butterfield, Thomas Brown, Harry Hicks and Carl Gaver and a boy from the ranch, Charlie Walchli, that was nearly full grown when we graduated from the 8th grade and thus leaving all the upper classmen little runts. In other words, though they had not been sick as I was, we were all about 2 years behind in school and were big boys. Now thats explained.

I can never praise my mother for the spunk it took and the nerve to turn the Dr. from the door and tell him an Indian Woman was going to be my Doctor. How he cursed my mother and told her she was just inviting death and I would surely die. "I said you've had your last chance." Well, the Indian Woman sent my mother up to a place where she got a quarters worth of Slippery Elm bark, which Mrs. Faucet, the Indian Woman put on to heat for a strong tea. After preparations were made, she took me down by the screening willows by the river where there were plenty of round wash boulders. She had a fire burning with plenty of big rocks heating.

There was a cot - narrow bed, set up with a tub of water setting underneath the cot. The Indian woman chanting all the time gave me a cup full of Slippery Elm Bark tea, hot and so slippery and slimy, you could not quit drinking once you started, the slime would just slip down your throat by the siphon method. Then laying me on the cot, she threw a horse blanket over me and tied my hands and threatning to hog tie me all the time. She began to throw the hot rocks in the tub and take the cold ones out, by means of a giant pair of pincers made by just breaking a willow in two.

If I was too ever think I was in hell, I was to think so now, but I was a good boy and had the knowledge to know I was to be well. It wasn't a sort of faith, because I knew the cure was going to cure me. I lay and the sweat poured out of me and I reveled in every drop because I felt better all the time and I drank my Slippery Elm Bark tea ever so often. Along about midnight, the swelling went and also out of my privates, that had not passed water for better that a week, and I was passing dirty looking old brown water, brown because it was mixed with blood.

The ordeal kept up for 24 hours until I went down to normal, just a little puffiness around my face. As soon as I cooled down for a day, I was standing out on the sidewalk taking in the sun. In time to thumb my nose at the Dr, as he drove past, but he didn't know me. Oh, I must tell you, on the side while being so sick, I had my old reumatism and St Vitus Dance in my right side. I am not complaining, but I figured to tell this all in hope that it may help someone else to live.

I have been disabled 5 timed counting this time. I have had appendicitus(removed), Gall Bladder (removed), Brain Hemmorhage, Paralitic stroke, Heart surgery and my heart fiburlates now. And it has been defiburlated 5 times. My stomach is burned up from quinedine and phenestrol so that my record reads, Disabled from Diarreah. That pretty well tells of my sickness. How I have had any time to enjoy life I don't know, but I've been very happy and don't know how any one could have led a more observing life. It seems that I observe more and comprehend more. I have worked at most kinds of labor, seen more of the oddities of life and remember it all. I wrote the happenings of myself, mostly because Dr.'s would not believe them.

Interview with Doris Hicks

Interview by Shina Hicks in 2006

Where were you born?

I was born on Sunday, the 30 of September 1917 in Lovell, Wyoming. I was born just in time for church at 3:00 a.m.

What did you do for entertainment when you were young?

I would come home from school and I and my brothers and sisters would saddle up the horses and ride.

When I was a junior or senior in high school, my family moved to Salmon, Idaho

How has life changed since you were a child?

I have gotten smarter. I have the same personality. I have gotten too old to do some of the things that I used to do. I have a sheet that I wrote some of those things down on. [All the members of the family should have that sheet that has some of my life history.]

What did you do as a teen?

I had a fellow or two. I rode horses a lot. I had a girl friend that would come to the ranch. My family would raise melons during the depression and eat them a lot. We would trap skunks to sell the hides for $.75 a hide. We would go to dances in Sheridan, Wyoming. We had mutual dances in the chapel in our small branch. That is where I learned to dance.

In Idaho, we would go to Kirtley Creek for dances. That dance hall is where they had the old post office and that is where I met Grandpa Hicks. Wilford Hogan was my boy friend at the time. Hogan got hold of some moonshine and got drunk so I wouldn’t dance with him. A friend brought Harry over and introduced us. He took me home and that was the beginning of our romance.

Were you a member of the Church [LDS Church]?

Yes, 7th generation

What was your first job?

I was a house cleaner when I was really young, then I worked on the ranch when I was older, I was hired to keep an eye on a girl that needed a babysitter.

Tell about your baptism.

I was baptized by Eugene Durfee when I was eight, in Lovell, Wyoming. I think my dad confirmed me.

What influenced your life during the Great Depression?

Things were a lot simpler then. We raised a big garden. We traded cucumbers with neighbors for a goose for thanksgiving holiday. That is the way people got along in those days. There was a lot trading and bartering. Everyone was poor; nobody had any money. Everyone was in the same boat.

How old were you when you met Harry? What was your first impression of him?

I was seventeen

He was a handsome bugger and could sure dance! His good looks attracted me to him at first and the fact that he could dance. And of course, he wasn’t drunk like the rest of the men at the dance.

What did you do on your dates?

We used to go horseback riding and fishing. We would go out to the Lemhi dance hall and the Bloated Goat for dances.

I was married, 19 April 1935 by Bishop AV Miller. Later, we were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. That was in 1964 probably in the summer, June 15?

Harry became a member in August when I married him. My dad baptized him in the Salmon River.

What was Grandpa like?

Very intelligent, good looking, hot tempered, hard worker, taught kids to work.

Best memories of Harry?

Harry loved his family. He was kind of a strict disciplinarian, but he had a great love for his family.

The River

This is a true story of a time when Mike nearly drowned in the Salmon River. He had been married for about two weeks when this incident took place. What would the lives of Birdie and her children be if Mike had been taken at this time? It was late July, 1961.

Three young men, Vic Mann, Mike’s cousin and great friend, Larry Lee, another friend from Challis, Idaho, and Mike decided to go tube-floating in the famous “River of No Return,” also known as the Salmon River.

The men entered the river at the Shoup Bridge which is about five miles up-river from the town of Salmon. The plan was to float down the river to the Island Park which is an island in the river at Salmon. This is considered to be an easy float and is done hundreds of times each year by people who live in Salmon. Not really a big deal.

They got in and sat back on their inner-tubes to enjoy the float in the warm, summer sun. Almost all went well with no problems. About 4.5 miles downstream, the river runs along the bottom of some high, sand-stone cliffs. In a short time the river takes a turn away from the cliffs and at this spot, over time many huge rocks have fallen into the water and created some pretty good rapids. All their life Mike and Lonny and others have deliberately swam out into the river above these rapids and then rode through them to enjoy the ride. This is not really too dangerous if one is careful and a good swimmer. That is the key issue here - being a good swimmer. You should never get into the river unless you are a good swimmer. This is a cardinal rule for the Salmon River.

The three approached the rapids with excitement. Both Mike and Vic had done this ride many times and knew what was coming. This was Larry’s first time. Vic went in the chute at the head of the rapids first, Larry was next with Mike taking up the rear. They were spaced about 60 yards apart. Mike saw that Vic was in the swift current and then he took his attention away from the other floaters and began to set up for his entrance into the chute. He did observe as Larry dropped off the edge and went into the swift water.

Mike was about 1/4 of the way in when he heard Vic yelling loudly over the sound of the rushing water. “Get Larry, Get Larry!” Vic was standing on the bank at the lower edge of the rapids. Mike then looked for Larry and all he saw was an empty inner-tube floating through the rapids ahead of him. He quickly scanned the water and luckily he saw Larry floundering around in the huge eddy located at the bottom of the rapids. Vic was across the river from Larry and he could never have gotten to him in time to help. Larry was obviously fighting to stay afloat and he was not having much luck at this attempt. There was no time to think. Mike rolled off his inner-tube knowing that he was going to have to swim to save Larry as the current was far too swift to paddle the tube over to where Larry was splashing in the circling water of the eddy. As he swam toward Larry he was able to enter the big eddy just a few yards from Larry. Larry went under and disappeared. Mike swam to the spot where he last saw him but in this swift water the actual spot was uncertain. This was not a still pond but a raging river eddy fed by the swift rapids nearby. Mike tried hard to fight the swift current and stay where he last saw Larry. Suddenly, Larry’s hand appeared above the surface about two feet in front of Mike. Mike took a swift stroke and grabbed the wrist. Larry was in a panic. He quickly climbed right up on top of Mike and wrapped his legs and arms around Mike. Both of Mike’s arms were tied up by Larry’s tight grip caused by his fear and panic. They both began to sink.

This huge hole which contained this swift eddy was about 25-30 feet deep. Mike and his brother used to swim into it and dive toward the bottom just for the fun of it. Mike knew this was a deep and swift eddy that offered no forgiveness to a poor swimmer or foolish person. You had to know how to work your way out of an eddy such as this to survive. It took a strong swimmer who was not afraid to go under a few times to manage this feat. Another cardinal rule for the Salmon River - do not fight the current! You had to go with the current and use it to your advantage. All experienced river swimmers know this. Larry did not.

All his life to this day Mike remembers thinking, “Too bad, I have only been married two weeks and I am going to drown. I hope the Lord takes care of Birdie.”

Suddenly, Mike’s feet hit a soft, sandy bottom. His feet stuck to the sandy surface as well as if he had been walking on a dry sidewalk. This was impossible. The bottom of this eddy was covered with rocks and debris that had fallen off the cliffs for hundreds of years. Mike clearly remembered which way the bank was and with Larry clinging to his back and shoulders he simply walked out of the river. The swift water had no effect on his ability to carry Larry and himself to safety. They were able to get out of the river, safe and sound.

It was discovered later that Larry did not know how to swim and he figured he could just stick with the inner-tube and he would be OK. Mike and Vic never even thought to ask him if he could swim. They just assumed that he could.

All his life Mike has been grateful to his Father in Heaven for saving him that day many years ago. There were miracles given out that day on the Salmon River. Thank the Lord!

Written by Mike Hicks

Police Story

Mike was a young police rookie. He had recently gone to work for the Ada County Sheriff’s Dept. in Boise, Idaho about eight months before. He had just turned 23 on his last birthday. He worked in the county jail for a few months and then about three months before, he had been transferred out of the jail and into a patrol car. His on-the-job training consisted of riding with a training officer until he was ready to work on his own.

It was a hot, summer day in 1965 in Boise and Mike was patrolling around the county on his area assignment. Suddenly, the radio came on with the desk officer calling his patrol number. “2213, Sheriff’s office.” Mike responded with, “2213, go ahead.” Sgt. Dicus instructed Mike to go immediately to a phone and call in to the office. Mike was close to the Seven Mile Tavern and so he pulled in and called the office on the phone there.

Sgt. Dicus informed him that he was to meet Chief Deputy Dave Rowe at the intersection of Five Mile Road and Overland Road. Dicus told him that there was a man in a house at an address on Five Mile Road that had beaten up his wife and threw her out of the house. She was currently at a neighbor’s calling the Sheriff’s Office. It seems the woman and her husband were getting a divorce and he was pretty violent and she had a restraining order to keep him away. He was in violation of the restraining order.

Mike immediately went to the intersection and found the Chief waiting for him. They went to the residence. Mike drove in front and the Chief behind. Upon arriving, Mike pulled his car past the house and parked in the neighbor’s driveway. Chief Rowe parked in front of the house. Immediately, before either of them could even get out of their cars, a man came out on the front porch of the house. He had a rifle in his hands and he pulled it to his shoulder and took aim at Chief Rowe. Rowe was trapped in his car and obviously felt it best to stay there for the moment as the door afforded some protection. Mike realized that the man, who they later learned was named L. Bertasso, had not seen him yet. To see Mike, all Bertasso had to do was turn his head to the left but he was too engrossed in making threats and swearing at Chief Rowe. Mike quickly got his shotgun from its mount on the dash of the car. He quietly got out of his car and silently let the door go closed. The shotgun was a 12 gauge police gun. It was loaded with five shells of double OO buckshot. This is like having nine .22 shells go off at the same time.

At this point, Bertasso whirled and went back inside the house. While he was in the house Mike worked the shotgun action and put a shell into the chamber. Also, Chief Rowe got out of his car with the 30-30 Winchester Carbine that he favored. Rowe got on the far side of his car.

Bertasso came back out onto the porch and again began to holler threats and swear at Rowe. Mike began to silently walk toward Bertasso. When he was about ten feet away he spoke up and said, “Ok, drop your rifle.” Bertasso looked over and for the first time saw Mike. Instead of obeying the command he pulled his rifle up and aimed it right at Mike. At this point the young officer pulled his shotgun to his shoulder and took aim at the center of Bertasso’s chest. He began to pull on the trigger and he took up the slack that all triggers have and was just putting the final pressure on to fire the gun. All this took place in a split second. Chief Rowe could see that someone was going to get shot and he yelled out as loud as he could at Bertasso while moving from behind his car to a spot on the sidewalk which was closer to the action. When Rowe screamed at him Bertasso whirled and went back into the house. There is no doubt that this action by Bertasso saved his life as Mike’s shotgun would have fired at any millisecond.

Bertasso came right back out and again lifted his rifle and aimed it at Mike. Again Mike took aim at Bertasso’s chest and began to squeeze the trigger. In less than a second Mike’s gun would have fired and Bertasso would have received nine .22 sized shots in the chest backed up by a huge load of gunpowder. He would have been killed for sure.

Rowe yelled once again and this caused Bertasso to lower his rifle and turn his attention back toward Rowe. Mike took this opportunity to quickly pull out his can of aerosol mace spray from its holster on his belt. He stepped up and sprayed this tear gas agent into Bertasso’s face. The effects of being sprayed in the face with this powerful chemical usually took anyone right off their feet. Bertasso went down but it did not blind him. He took his rifle by the barrel and began to swing it like a ball bat in Mike’s direction. Bertasso was up on a three step, concrete porch and Mike was able to step up under his wild swings and give him a very stiff, horizontal butt stroke along the left side of his head with the shotgun. When this happened, Bertasso staggered backwards and threw both arms in the air. Mike grabbed his rifle as Bertasso went off the porch and landed on his back in the flower beds. He was dazed and the fight was gone from him. Chief Rowe quickly jumped on Bertasso and had him hand-cuffed before he could do anything else.

The situation was over. Rowe loaded Bertasso in his car and Mike took the rifle and they both drove in to the Sheriff’s Office.

In his years as a policeman this was the closest to shooting anyone that Mike ever experienced. There were other pretty exciting events during those years but those are stories for another time. Mike went on to become a nominee for Policeman of Year in 1967 in the Boise area. He had dinner with the governor of the state along with a few fellow officers.

Mike quit law enforcement a few years after to become a school teacher – a decision he has never regretted. Over the years, Mike has often thought about how close he came to killing another human being during this incident. He has always been grateful that his gun did not fire. He credits the Lord with this and knows he was spared that day many years ago from taking another person’s life.

Written by Mike Hicks

Love Story

It was early fall in Salmon. Eighteen year old Mike who had graduated from high school in Challis the previous spring now worked at the Saveway grocery store for Edmund Bills. Bills’ nineteen year old son Jim worked there, too. Mary Bills, Edmund’s wife, ran the main till at the front of the store. Jim and Mike had become pretty good friends. Mary was also very friendly with Mike and often spent time talking with him.

There was this girl, Birdie King, who Mike had dated for a couple of years. They had broken up the previous winter. Birdie had been dating a lot of guys. She could date about anyone she wanted due to her being one of the most beautiful girls in Salmon. Jim had a friend named Benny Banks who Birdie had dated quite a bit just before she left the previous spring to go stay with her mother for the summer. Her mother lived in Boise and Birdie had been boarding with different families in Salmon for the past couple of years. She spent the winters in Salmon while attending school and the summers with her mother. This coming year she was going to board at the Bills’ home.

One day, Mike and Jim were talking about girls which are usually the subject of conversation among young men. Mike stated that he wished he and Birdie hadn’t broken up as he thought a lot of her and wouldn’t mind dating her again.
Jim replied, “Oh you can’t date Birdie now, she is Benny’s girl.”
Mike didn’t say anything to Jim but to himself he said, “Oh yeh, well we’ll see about that!”

Mike knew that Birdie would be coming back to Salmon soon as school was going to start in a couple of weeks. The next day he casually asked Mary, who he knew Birdie was going to be boarding with, if she knew when Birdie was coming back to town. Mary told him that Birdie was coming in on the evening bus that coming Friday night.

Friday night came and Mike was waiting at the Bus stop at the Herndon Hotel. It was about 9:00 pm and the bus pulled in. Sure enough, there was Birdie. Mike’s heart took a jump in his chest as she was just as beautiful as always.
When she got off the bus and saw Mike standing there she asked, “What are you doing here?”
He replied, “I am waiting for Lonny who is coming in any day now from the army.” Lonny is Mike’s older brother and really was expected home from basic training in California, although not for several more weeks.

Birdie said, “Oh, well he wasn’t on the bus.”

Mike said, “Too bad, but as long as I’m here why don’t I give you a ride up to the Bills’ house?”
Birdie said, “Oh, I would love that but Cornell has offered to take me home in the bus after he unloads.”

Mike said, “That’s a big hassle for him to drive you up there in this big bus. I’ll be glad to do it.”
At that point Mike went over to the bus and began to pull Birdie’s luggage out of the storage compartment. Immediately Cornell, the young single bus driver, saw what Mike was doing and came running over.

He said, “What are you doing?”

“I’m taking Birdie home,” Mike replied.
Cornell could see his grip on this dark eyed beauty slipping away. He said, “You don’t need to, I’m going to take her home in the bus.”
Mike told him in a low but firm voice, one that Birdie could not hear, “Forget about that and while you are at it, forget about Birdie, because she will be with me from now on.”
Mike carried the trunk over to his car and left Cornell standing there with a very hurt look on his face.

Mike loaded the luggage and helped Birdie get into the passenger side of the car. He got in and drove away from the curb. As he made the right hand turn onto Main Street he saw in his rear view mirror the fancy little Porsche that belonged to Benny pulling up behind him. Mike turned right and Benny turned left and spun his tires for about a block down the street.
Birdie asked, “What is that noise?”
Mike replied, “Oh, just some jerk spinning his tires, he must be mad about something.”

Mike took Birdie’s luggage up to Bills’ house and left it there. He then asked Birdie if she wanted to go for a ride and she accepted. Mary was delighted when she saw who it was that had brought Birdie’s luggage home. She always thought they were a cute couple.

The young couple drove around that night for hours and they both realized how much in love they really were. They were married a few months later, on July 5, 1961, in the Idaho Falls Temple for time and eternity.

It was meant to be...

Written by Mike Hicks