John J. (Elmo) Reeves

One of the people who used to live in Harper that I don't think I've talked about was a fellow we called Elmo Reeves. He was real tall. In fact he was the tallest person I ever knew. They said he measured six foot eleven and was pretty good looking too. His height was no doubt a handicap in him getting a bed, a shower that would work for his size, and most important finding a suitable mate. He always had his eye set on Mazie Frances Stewart but she was only five foot two. I mean could you imagine them on the dance floor. I figure they could get arrested just for doing the fox trot. People suggested he try basketball but Elmo was so clumsy he would fall several times each game. Once he broke his collar bone in a fall and it took a while to get him off the court. Finally the geometry teacher from the high school came up with a plan on how to manage moving such an odd load of bones. I reckon you may wonder where his nickname Elmo came from. His old uncle, J. Q. Reeves, who was in the navy for twenty-five years, said that John J. was so tall that in a thunderstorm a fellow could detect St. Elmo's fire on the top of his head. I doubt this was true, but the name Elmo was taken up and he has been called that ever since.