Ray Rohrer
Biography
Named among childhood neighbors. The passage does not explicitly identify him as the later-mentioned Mr. Rohrer. Suspected, along with Butch Hannah as an alternative, of putting watermelon rinds in the Peterson’s chimney. Responsibility is not established. One of two people the narrator tentatively suggests may have urged him to hit Sonny in the face. Described as 'the terror of the neighborhood.' Ran from his house in the rear and mounted Gypsy by leapfrogging over her rump. Could stand on a bicycle seat while riding. Bernard's childhood biking companion, described as tough-acting, boastful, and dominating conversations. Claimed his front tooth was broken fighting a big kid from Villa Park; Bernard later learned it was broken in a bicycle fall. Had a cave hideout near Coaltown Road, with a floor of flattened cardboard boxes. Shared homemade corn-silk cigarettes and taught Bernard to cuss.
Timeline
One year, at Halloween
Watermelon rinds in the Peterson’s chimney
An unidentified person put watermelon rinds in the chimney because the household did not give out treats. Ray Rohrer or Butch Hannah was suspected, not confirmed responsible.
Bernie's ChapterWhen we were about eleven
Billy Johnson receives Gypsy
Neighborhood children gathered to admire Billy's Shetland pony. Ray leaped onto her back, provoking an angry reaction from Tom.
Bernie's Chapterdate not given
Ray's broken front tooth
Ray said his front tooth was broken in a fight with a big kid from Villa Park. Bernard later found out it was broken when Ray fell off his bike.
Bernie's ChapterOnce, during childhood
A bicycle trip to Ray's cave hideout
The boys rode and carried their bicycles along a creek. Despite Bernard's exhaustion, Ray led him to a hillside cave floored with flattened cardboard boxes. Ray offered corn-silk cigarettes rolled in newspaper; Bernard tried one, which was strong and at one point burst into flames.
Bernie's Chapter
Stories mentioning Ray
- Bob's Bright Fragments of ChildhoodBob lists vivid childhood memories: neighbors, a gasoline burn while playing with a toy steamshovel, Barbara refusing medicine, Bernie's skating injury, and Tom Johnson knocking out power lines with a falling tree. He recalls visiting the Rodgers in Cordova, swimming at Campbell’s Island, annual Riverside Park picnics, Iris’s wedding, and poker games with Art and Eileen Cordingly. Other memories include orchard camping and spraying, gathering walnuts, toys and homemade kites, fireworks, homemade foods, hauling water when the well dried up, building a house addition, basement heat relief and flooding, coal heating, backyard tomatoes, and the surviving mailbox millstone.
- Halloween Windows, Rackets, and MischiefBernard describes making a noisy Halloween device from a notched thread-spool, string, and nail. During junior and senior high, he painted storefront windows each Halloween, including a motorboat-race satire whose reference to parking and making out at the airport went entirely unrecognized. Someone put watermelon rinds in the Peterson’s chimney after they refused treats; Ray Rohrer or Butch Hannah was suspected. Bernard recounts stories of cruel tricks on children that he considers probably urban myths. He denies overturning outhouses himself, is uncertain whether Bob did, and recalls Bob's fondness for matches.
- A Lost Friendship and a Lifelong LessonBernard remembers Sonny Joiner as a giggling childhood friend living with his working mother. Although Bernard doubted accusations that Sonny watched girls bathing, he chased and punched Sonny after another accusation one late-fall evening. Sonny cried without resisting, and Bernard immediately stopped in remorse. A few days later, Sonny’s mother told Bernard that Sonny had undergone surgery that very day and had fresh stitches. Bernard says the lost friendship and her warning haunted him, and he never struck anyone again.
- Billy's Wonderful Pony and One Wild MountBilly Johnson acquired Gypsy, an old brown-and-white Shetland pony that was blind in one eye, missing patches of fur, swaybacked, and fat. The children nevertheless admired her as a luxury. While Tom Johnson watched, Billy rode around the peony bushes and then invited everyone to pet her. Ray Rohrer leaped onto her back, alarming the pony and angering Tom. Gypsy was soon returned to her farm because the children could not act civilized around her.
- Learning to Ride and Making an Old Bike ShineBernard loved his repeatedly repainted bicycle. Daddy proudly declared him a remarkably quick learner, unaware that he had already practiced on Iris’ bike with Bobby's help. The children enjoyed spraying gravel with dramatic starts and stops. Bernard learned to ride hands-free, but copying Ray Rohrer's seat-standing stunt left his knee full of gravel. Bicycle errands included buying Mom's Marvel cigarettes at Fredrickson’s Market with no money left for treats.
- Bike Rides and a Hideout with Ray RohrerBernard recalls his unlikely childhood friendship with Ray Rohrer, a boastful, tough-acting boy whose badness he admired. Ray claimed a fight had broken his tooth, though Bernard later learned he had fallen off his bike. Bernard speculates that Ray's domineering behavior reflected being bossed around by his older brother Dick. Ray introduced Bernard to dirty jokes, an “eight-page bible,” and profanity. On a tiring bicycle expedition through woods and along a creek, Ray led Bernard to a cardboard-floored cave hideout near Coaltown Road, where Bernard tried a strong homemade corn-silk cigarette that briefly burst into flames.
Referenced in
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