'Stephen's Hat' / Valerie's Gallery

Valerie's Gallery is a collection of thoughts, poems, stories and other writings. Some are observations of the different ways people communicate and are all based on actual encounters. They were all written by my Mother as part of her Major Work for her Degree in Communication.

I was sharing with one of my daughters recently about my older brother Stephen and his obsession with a character named Davy Crockett.

David 'Davy' Stern Crockett (August 17, 1786 - March 6, 1836) was a  19th century American folk hero, Frontiersman, Soldier and Politician. He was famous in his own lifetime for his exploits in the wild, among other things, and he wore a hat made out of Raccoon fur with the tail hanging off the back.
 Gross I know, but it was the wild west after all!

In the 20th century, Walt Disney made him a hero all over again when he made a movie about him and in 1954/1955, there was a TV show starring Fess Parker as 'Davy'. It was a hit with young boys like my brother, who wanted to be just like him.

Coon Skin Hat

Of course, like every other young boy at that time, my brother had one of these hats and my mother simply couldn't get it off him. He would wear it all day long and refuse to take it off even at bed time. He also loved the Davy Crockett Theme song which was quite a catchy little tune with the tag line 'Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier' and would sing it to himself constantly.

The following poem, written by Valerie, is a true story about Stephen and his hat and I hope it gives you a little chuckle.

STEPHEN’S HAT

When Stephen was a little lad

He wasn’t even nine

He had a very favourite game

He played it all the time.

He wore a Davy Crockett hat.

He had a wooden gun.

He stalked around the garden

Catching butterflies for fun.

He’d sing a happy little song

About the famous Davy

And sneak among the bushes

With his possum tail all wavy.

One day the family dressed up fine

A wedding to attend

But we couldn’t coax our Stephen

to desert his furry friend.

We were trooping quietly into church

The hat stuffed in his pocket

When his voice besought the organist

‘Lady, please play Davy Crockett.

Written by Valerie Hazel Torning

Cheers

Mare