March 21, 1996
From the Globe Free Press, Rippey News
Velda’s Varieties by Velda DeMoss, the “Mouth of Rippey!”
Thursday, March 21, 1996
During the past week, while most of us were worrying about NCAA basketball games, Carson Griffith was starting to prepare for hosting a music contest. This week he sent a group of students out to borrow a piano. He THOUGHT he told them to go to Rippey and get a piano from the elementary school lobby. They THOUGHT he told them to go to the Rippey church and get a piano.
Later in the day, Carson checked with the piano movers and they reported no trouble in getting the piano. But they mentioned they had a broken hose on the pickup and they had made a spot on the driveway of the church.
THE CHURCH??? As the story goes, that’s how Carson learned he had the wrong piano. Meanwhile, back in Rippey, the quilters were discovering the missing piano and, more important to them, the piano bench was missing! The bench is where some of them keep their quilting needles, thimbles, etc.
Before long, Carson was calling the church and others in the community and an embarrassed Carson (if he can be embarrassed) was on his way to deliver the quilting supplies.
And as the plan stands now, the piano will visit Grand Junction until the music contest is over. It is being tuned by the Iowa Music Association, and most of us had a chuckle over the deal. We hope everyone accompanied by that piano receives a “1” rating!
Thursday, April 4, 1996
Piano Thieves Remunerated!
It must be reported that the gang of piano thieves have struck again – only this time they have returned the “stolen” merchandise – hopefully completely intact.
The school did appreciate the usage of the piano from the Rippey Methodist Church, which was taken by mistake, tuned, used for the State Music Contest, and now returned.
Upon returning north to Grand Junction on Wednesday morning, after having made the delivery, the group of seven came upon an automobile off in the field approximately 500 yards from the road. They stopped to render aid. The rescue unit was called and the male driver, who appeared not seriously injured, was assisted to the unit. He had evidently fallen asleep, driven off the road, into a driveway and through a field, ending up in a snow bank.
The young men also freed the automobile before returning to school. One remarked that this was probably God’s way of making them right with Him for having been sinners.
With the pianos now safely returned, the gang will retire, (at least for a year) and will try to gain some of their lost and scarred respect and reputation back again. As for Godfather Griffith, he has left the country until this whole case cools off.
Editor’s note: I received this news article this week by mail. The source is unknown, but I suspect The Godfather!