| 2024
These tales about famous Calhoun character Creed Brooks recalled by Charles David Kirby, heard in Harvey Stout's and Dink Sturm's barber shops:
DEAD MAN'S FLOAT
Creed Brooks lived on Rt. 5 about eight miles from Grantsville. He had been a country scribe, a Justice of the Peace, practiced a little law (without a license) and was welcomed by local literary groups. I remember him walking the streets of Grantsville, talking to himself or anyone that would listen.
I met him on the old steel girder Grantsville bridge and he told me a story about when the bridge was being built (1911), that a man was killed falling into the river.
He said to this day when the water was a little murky you could see him under the bridge doing " a dead man's float."
YOU STAND YOUR DAMAGES
Creed never owned a car and hitchhiked nearly every day to Grantsville or Big Bend (Brooksville, side named for him). Once he was hitching in the middle of the road and was struck by a guy driving at 1941 Ford, coming to a stop, but knocking Creed clean over the riverbank. His vehicle was damaged.
Creed scrambled back to the highway, took one look at the car and said, "You stand your damages and I'll stand mine."
FISH AND THE LANTERN
Creed was sitting in Harvey Stout's Barber Shop swapping stories when James Blosser told the tale about catching a 48" musky out of a Little Kanawha River hole near Cabot Station.
To catch such a large fish was unheard of at that time. Creed never blinked an eye and said he was fishing in the same hole and hooked this weird fish that seemed to glow and behold it was a lantern and still lit. However, Blosser knew that Creed was making fun of him and flew mad and said, "Creed you know that was a dam lie."
After which Creed replied, "Tell you what James, you take 10" off that fish and I'll blow out the lantern."
OLD LADY JUST DIED
Creed knocked on the door of his next door neighbor early one morning and asked to use their phone. They invited him in. They were just fixing breakfast, and he joined them.
After the meal was over with some chatting, Creed got up and asked where the phone was.
"I need to call Jerry (Stump Funeral Home), the ole lady died last night."
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