In the 1970's I knew a lot of people that could tell some colorful stories. Some of them were born in the 1800's, a few of them fought in Great War, (World War I), but most of the people I was around were born between 1910 and 1930, many of which fought in WWII. I think they are all gone now, but the stories they told about their glory years..... OMG the lives they lived.
One of my dad's friends that really stands out in my mind was named Roger Miller. Mr. Miller (Roger) was born in 1925 and he lived one of the most interesting lives of the people I knew. Roger was full of stories, my dad once told me that he figured a lot of the stories Roger told were complete bullshit. But then dad said, but if even a quarter of them are the truth....then they are one hell of a story.
My favorite Roger Miller story was from the 1950's, his story was not PG rated. I was 10, maybe 11 years old and why Roger would tell a kid a story like that is beyond me.....but it so scarred my mind that I will never forget it. He told how he supported himself for several years and at the same time discovered his love for "brown" women.
Roger would purchase a good used car, drive it to the country of Colombia and sell the car. He claimed he would make enough to live like a king for 6 months in Colombia. Then he would fly back to the United States, with enough money to buy another used car and repeat the process.
Of course the majority of the story was about the way he lived in Colombia and how he partied. Roger told 10 year old Jeff, that he spent so much time in Colombia that it was hard to climb on top of a while woman when he finally came back the United States to stay......
Dad and Roger did a lot together, he came to house many times....and we in turn went to his home. Roger was a man's man....and a lover of women. When he was 68 years old he vanished....
They found signs of a struggle at his home, with blood seemingly saying something bad happened here, but no sign of Roger. That was over 30 years ago, there have been lots of rumors....but as of yet no one has told what became of Roger and his body has never been found.
Hillbilly rumors tell me Roger is at the bottom of an old well.... But who knows? I have heard rumors that Roger was involved in the drug trade and that led to his death. One rumor said Roger was somehow involved in trafficking and that got him killed..... I have no idea what the truth is, but I know enough about hillbillies to know you don't want to ask to many questions. Ask the wrong question to the right person....and you might just learn if that well has room for two....
One thing is for certain, Roger told some great stories about his life, and in the end he became a great story himself. Great memories of a colorful man.
