Go-Cart (from Uncle Clarence)

My uncle Clarence was the jokester of the family, he loved to give everyone a hard time especially the kids and the kids loved to give it back to him but he was much better at it.  He was a generous person with a fun loving nature.  Clarence owned a Standard  (Amoco) Station in Clayton on North and South and one of his customers came in with a go cart, my uncle bought it then asked my Dad if I wanted it, he charged me $5.00.  I know he was a good negotiator but I suspect that it cost quite a bit more than $5.00.  This was a go-cart with a 2½ HP B&S motor and I was about 14 at the time. I went from a wooden crate to a motorized go-cart. I felt like I just won the lottery although there was no lottery at the time but it came with rules, lots of rules.  There had to be an adult around when we rode it, we couldn’t ride it in the street plus whatever other arbitrary rules they came up with.  Actually, I was surprised and shocked that my Dad let me have it under any circumstances.  This only proves that Dad understood how much fun it would be for me plus how good a salesman my uncle was. 

This go-cart was a kid magnet, it was like kids from miles around could smell it.  Word spread like wildfire.  At first Dad would take a few of us out to ride it over at Herzog School, when you drove it felt like you were flying it was so low to the ground, we had a blast.  We also went over to a go-cart track in Boschertown (way over in St. Charles).  The kids there had go-carts with 10 HP engines and we felt like we were standing still when they past but it was still fun.

Dad was not always available to take us out go carting, because he had to work or had other obligations so when encouraged by my friends to take the go-cart out in the alley (the rule was not in the street but the alley, technically was not a street).  The go-cart was loud so it was impossible to take it out without anyone knowing so I ask my Mom to take it out in the alley and she agreed (I guess I learned something from my uncle Clarence).  We drove it in the alley a few times but it was hard to turn around without hitting a garage so we later took it over to Herzog School, which was down the street but we had to cross West Florissant Avenue a very busy street.  I believe we got in trouble for that.  At some point we drove over a nail or something and got a flat, so I took the tire off to get it fixed which took a little time because I had to pay for the repair.  Well as you know sometimes good luck is followed by bad luck, the go-cart (with only 3 wheels) was stolen out of our garage.  But I do remember getting some money ($50) I’m told from the insurance, which I could put toward the purchase of a car when I saved more money, since I had just turned 16 this made the theft less painful.  My uncle Clarence was also instrumental in fixing my first car plus getting me my 2nd (more reliable) car when I got a little older. Thanks Uncle Clarence.