Brown-Crocker

A personal memory of Sheriff Crocker comes to mind as a colorful flashing picture of a
meeting of our two families -- gobably 70 years ago. A well-advertized full-eclipse of the sun
to be visible in Chatham, Massachusetts, on a particular summery
afternoon sometine before 1930 drew ny parents and their children
to venture forth. Mother packed a lunch of sandwiches
and Father drove a big touring car down-Cape to watch the eclipse.
Each of us was equipped with rectangles of exposed photographic film
to protect our eyes as we witnessed the moon pass between earth and sun, and plunge
us into total darkness. (We didn't know that film was inadequate
protection and that we shouldn't look at the sun through film or any other way.)
I recall little of the eclipse except disappointnent for darkness
wasn't as deep as I had expected. After the sun cane out again, and we
had eaten our lunches, we attenpted the return trip only to find our-
selves locked in the first traffic jam I had ever experienced.

Two solid lanes of traffic wormed westward, each auto jockeying
for advantage to escape the crowded highway. Father (not noted for his
patience) growled at the delays; Mother spoke soothingly, reminding we
need not hurry. Then, unexpectedly, in the other line of cars appeared one similar to ours, similarly laden with several children. "Locky" and
Wilhelmina with their family of youngsters hailed Burl and Jess
with theirs. Our car and theirs proceeded to inch along, the parents
visiting as we went... Our day ended happily, after all!