TOOMEY TALES

Stories remembered and told by Frances (Stakely) Toomey

March 1983

Hugh L. Toomey

Being gifted with musical knowledge, he loved to play the fiddle. To keep it from getting damaged, he kept it in a trunk. He passed this musical talent on to his oldest daughter Montia Mae.

With the parents gone, she decided to entertain her sister Frances one afternoon. She took the fiddle out and when it was about time for mama and pa to come home, she put it back in the trunk, laying the bow on a chair first. Chatting with Frances, she forgot about the bow. As soon as she sat on that very chair, she heard a snap and immediately remembered. Being a bit afraid, but loving and respecting her father, she told him of the mishap. Understanding, he smilingly said: "Accidents do happen. It’s OK." He patted her on the head and forgot the incident.

Jasper Toomey

His love of music made him use every free moment to play some of the instruments he had. One day, in the presence of Frances, then about 10, he played the auto harp to please her. He asked what he should play for her. Just as she was about to give an answer, she accidentally "broke a button," with an unusual sound of "pueeeet." With a smirk on his face he said, "is that what you want me to play? Pueeeet?" Both broke out in laughter.

He owned a storecarrying all sorts of merchandise, including dry goods. He also kept a cat there which always chose a favorite spot to sleep and groom herself -- On the shelf with the dry goods!

A lady came to buy some material. Noticing the cat grooming her face, he turned to the lady and said, "I bet you haven’t done today what that cat is doing." Just then the cat leaped from the shelf onto the counter and continued the job on her other end! The lady left with a very red face, leaving Jasper quite embarrassed as well.

Kenneth Toomey

When he was about 5, his sister Frances started courting Alf Stakely. Not liking him too much, he expressed his feelings in several ways. Whenever Alf would come calling, Kenneth would make sly remarks. When Alf was getting ready to leave, the lad laid in the doorway, refusing to move. Alf had to step over him.

The day Alf and Frances got married, it was too much for the little fellow. Knowing that Alf was about to take his sister away from home, he confessed to her, "I don’t wish that Alf would die, but I sure wish he’d get real sick."

Patrick M. Toomey

Spending much of his time out in Texas, whenever he came home to Tennessee some of his buddies gave him a welcome home party. Being of jovial nature, they always played some tricks on these occasions. As at one time, one of the guys gave him a "footshake." Going along with the gag, Pat grabbed it and shook it so vigorously that the man lost his balance and landed on his.. you know what. They all broke out into a roar.