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A Columbia County Boy's Recollections and Memories of Columbia County Florida (2012) Lenvil H. Dicks

Mr. Carter was known as an extremely hot-tempered man. He would fly off of the handle at the least
provocation and talk to ever who he was on the outs with in a manner which could have resulted in his
being beat to death. In fact, 1 know 2 or 3 occasions where somebody did take physical action with him
and there are 2 or 3 occasions when I saw him beat up due to his temper.

He was the kind of fellow who would get mad quick, but then just as quickly would get over it and be as
nice as anyone could want him to be. He did not hold grudges and he was simply hot-tempered and
could not control it, but he was a thoroughly nice and honest man. When 1 was 15 years old he asked me
if 1 would like to be the scale man, the man who operated the tobacco scales weighing the tobacco. This
was an extremely important job, due to the fact that if the weight showed too much the buyers would
reweigh it and require the tobacco warehouse to refund them any overage they had paid, and on the
other hand, if tobacco was under weighed, then the farmer would be upset because he had not received
enough pay to fit the situation. Tobacco was always sold by the pound and thus the weight shown on the
weight ticket was really al the heart of the whole business.

I was a little surprised at age 15 that Mr. Carter offered me the job of scale man, but I took the job, and
enjoyed it, and of course I know he was always pleased how I handled the job.

However, there was one night when Mr. Carter had gotten upset about something along in the shank of
the evening around 8 or 9:00 and came down to where we were unloading and weighing the tobacco,
raising hell at everybody, and even found some reason to light in on me. I kept my mouth shut until after
he had finished and we got a little lull in the business and he went back up to the other end of the
warehouse where the office was located. I took it on myself even though I was only 15 years old to go
up to the office with the express intent of straightening Mr. Carter out, and I guess I did. 1 went in the
office and said to him, Mr. Carter you came down there and cussed me out and embarrassed me in front
of all my friends for absolutely no reason whatsoever except that you were mad about something. I have
looked after your business in the best way I know how and 1 have never been late for work nor never
knocked off early.

But if you ever speak to me in that way again there’s two things that’s gonna happen. First, I’m gonna
whip your ass; second then I’m gonna walk out and you’ll see me no more. Carter looked as if he had
been hit with a pole axe, and could not actually comprehend that he was hearing what he thought he was
hearing from a 15 year old boy. For a moment he said nothing and seemed to reflect on what I had just
said, then he said, and there was no apology, Lenvil go on back down to the scales and weigh tobacco
and I will try to leave you alone. Go on back to work. I did that and never again did Rufus Carter say
one cross word to me. I admired him and liked him and still do to this day although he’s been dead
many many years but he was one of the people I remember in my life who I feel 1 owe something to, as
he was the first material, well-to-do person, whoever put his full confidence and faith in me, and without
realizing it at the time I guess that meant a lot to me.

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