The year was 1966, I just graduated from high school. I had my whole life ahead of me. I got a job, and was running the loop route in town every night. My license plate on the cycle started to crack from the vibration. In later years the tail light and license holder would be rubber mounted to stop the license plate from cracking and falling off. I kept bending the plate till it broke. I knew you did not get a temporary plate till your new one arrived in the mail so I threw it in the trash so I could ride around without a plate. I went to the JP and filled out the paperwork for a new plate. It was four weeks till the plate arrived, so I put a backing plate I bought with lettering I picked up at the hardware store with Hoss on the back because I liked Dan Blocker"Hoss" on the TV show Bonanza. Most of the guys had nicknames and on the show Hoss was a mountain name for a big guy with a big heart. It fit me to a T. I also got a plate for the front of my car when I got a car in about one and a half years. I wanted people to know my name.
When the replacement plate came in about four weeks I threw it in the trash and went to the JP again so I could go longer without a plate on my cycle. He did the replacement paperwork and it was six weeks this time till my new plate arrived. The cops of course stopped my the second week I had the Hoss plate on the back of my cycle so they could get my information in case someone gave my license number as Hoss. It worked, I rode ten weeks without a license plate. Everyone wanted to know how I got away so long with no plate. Then they started doing it too. I guess it happened other places too, because they passed a law that you got a temporary plate right away. But I was a rebel for all those weeks. I started another fad. It was a game between the police and us to see how much we could get away with. For a while I was the talk of the town, and helped brand my nickname to me.
I told my wife if she does not put Hoss in my obituary most of Lancaster county will not know it was me! I worked six months at Charles Chips as electrician when I was working at the owner's house and he asked me what my real name was, because he only knew me as Hoss. I was called over the intercom at a lot of places I worked when there was a breakdown and there was a lot of Bob's or other names but there was only one Hoss. They knew I was wanted when they called Hoss over the intercom. Yes Mary never called me Hoss. Even though her nickname was Snug in nursing school. Yes Hoss and Snug paired up to raise a family. A few of my close friends call me Randy, but most know me as Hoss. I had Hoss on my business cards and had….Hoslectric….on the front of my truck for my electric business. I use Randal"Hoss" Caldwell for my buiness name now too. It will help me in searches when people look for a business. There is a lot of Randal Caldwell's out there. I need to brand my name to my business. The Caldwell clan came over from Ireland and Scotland in the early 1800's because of the potato blight and settled up and down the east coast. There is even several towns named Caldwell on the east coast. I have a charge account at the local hardware store and sign my slips Hoss Caldwell. The one lady at the cash register always says hi Hoss, sign here.
Yes I have had a blessed life so far. I just hope I will be Hoss for a lot of years to go. I am not ready to give up the living years for a long time yet! I will keep fighting Mother Nature, and building my businesses. And loving and caring for my family as best I can.
This is the bike I am talking about, with the Hoss license on the back. It served me well for three years. I wish I had kept it but you guys know how you tend to think of things you should have done too late.
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