I was contacted again by my old friend Mickey Jones Monday. He sent me two separate pieces his brother, Larry Jones, had written and compiled. One was a poem he called “Harriman Nicknames”, and the other was a compilation of the nicknames he could remember from Harriman, Tennessee, and the surrounding Roane County area, that were not used in the poem. Had Larry not been a few years older than Mickey and me, I’m sure ol’ Mushy would be among those listed. After all, Jerry Lou (a.k.a. Cleo) did not hang that moniker on me until 1963!
I found the poem and list to be very entertaining, often breaking out in ear-to-ear grins, and I’m sure if you had lived in the area it would mean a lot to you as well. However, chances are you had friends that got saddled with some of the same nicknames!
The piece has been published once before in a little local tabloid, but I’ve decided to give it some wider distribution. It is my hope that you will comment and/or post about the nicknames you remember from school and your home town. That should give a lot of readers something to chuckle over!
So, ol’ Mushy offers for your pure enjoyment, Larry Jones’…
HARRIMAN NICKNAMES
The Sanitary Barbershop was a place of renown
If you wanted the scoop on anyone in town.
Tom and Claude were the first to know
The nicknames of those folks so long ago.
There was Blackie and Whitey, Brownie and Red
And some were names we all would dread.
Like Skinny and Puny and Slim and Fat
Or Big Sis and Little Sis, now how about that.
Kitty and Squirrel, or Chicken and Goat.
None of these names would cause me to gloat.
Biggun and Littleun, Shorty and Runt
And Pop-up Wright who couldn’t bunt.
A Cowboy, a Sailor, a Monkey and a Snake
Any of these you like, you’re free to take.
Curly and Salty, and a guy named Chug
Remember Sandy and Rusty, or how about Shug?
There was Booger and Junior we remember well
Gimme Nichel was a name that should ring a bell.
Walking Tom often perched on the bridge day by day
And then walk down the road as he went on his way.
Speedy and Sticky and Stogie and Hy
Betsy and Wimpy and a guy called Ty
Peanut and Buddy and Bum and Bo.
Are more of the names from long ago.
Cake Eater and Crit and Gas and Butch
Happy and Dub and Jug and Dutch.
There was Mule and Toad and someone called Hog
Poss and Shep but no one named Dog.
There was Foot and Sox and also Boots
BadEye and HogEye and also Toots.
Bullhead and Humpy, Jabo and Doc
Were more of the folks in this nickname flock.
Derail and Limber I don’t know at all
But Duggan and Floppy I do recall.
Pikey and Tut and Hop and Churn
Are folks whose names I have come to learn.
Sparky and Squirt and Betsy and Sal
Could be names for either a guy or a gal.
Shag and Moon and Turk and Goof
No exactly a name I’d shout from the roof.
These names bring back memories of folks I once knew
Some were just strangers, but only a few.
If you think of others to add over time
Include another verse to this “nickname” rhyme.
Larry D. Jones - 11-12-2005
Okay, so you knew I would have to try a verse myself…
Remember Cleo and Castro and Cay-Woody
Shaky-babe and Henry and just a plain ol’ Woody?
There was Harry Melon and Porky and even Musky
And who could ever forget ol’ Mushy!
Thanks so much Larry for the use of your poem!
I know many of you are sitting there thinking, “How thankful I am I was never tagged with a horrible nickname!”
However, down deep inside, you secretly wish someone had thought enough of you to leave you branded for life with the legacy of a “cool nickname”.
