Page 115 - my-people-abbie-harris-beck

A TIME OF TERROR

We were remolding our house on Trinity Lane . We came to the question of what
to do with our 15 foot freezer. The new utility room was just the place to put our washer
and dryer. We jointly all decided that the best place would be in the basement! We could
bring up several days supply at one time and eliminate several trips up and down the steep
steps to the basement. After several measurements and planning, we decided we could
move the heavy freezer to the basement. Warren Harris was at home from Troy and he
could help.
Lamar was to go ahead of the freezer to hold back and guide the freezer down the
stairwell. The freezer was to slide down the steps. Warren and Abbie were to hold back
on the top end. Consideration had not been given to the supporting beam that was a
supporting timber of the floor above the basement. As the freezer began to slide down
the stairwell as planned, Lamar planned to duck his head under the beam. When he tried
to duck, he could not clear his head because the height of the freezer would not permit
him to duck. His head was caught with the freezer pressing against his chest forcing his
head down on it. Warren and Abbie were desperately trying to hold the freezer back.
There were no handles on the freezer and it was very slick. In desperation Warren called
out to Abbie, "mama we've got to have some help". We had no close neighbors at that
time . He said he would try to hold the freezer off daddy if I would go for help. I was
desperate! I knew Warren Harris could not hold the freezer long enough for me to go and
get help. The thought came to me to call the police. I called them to come. Lamar had
been thinking about how to get the freezer back up the stairs in order for him to get his
head under the beam. He asked me to get the broom. He explained what to do. We
placed the broom as he had told us. When the broom was in place, he heaved with all his
might and the freezer slid back up the stairs just enough for him to move his head under
the beam. Then we slowly slid the freezer on down the stairs. The police arrived just as
we landed the freezer at the basement floor.
I had not said a word during the whole ordeal. I just followed what Lamar had
directed me to do. The police asked me a question and I could only whisper and my
throat felt like I had been screaming all night.
"It was a Time of Terror'