By Mark Buckley
Through My Eyes
It was the summer of 1962; life was about to teach me a valuable lesson. Every summer about Father’s Day, we would leave our “big home” in Atchison and move to our cabin on Sugar Lake. Sugar Lake was a pretty lake located on the Missouri River bottoms about 4 miles east of Atchison. Those summers were wonderful, filled with swimming, fishing, exploring, and just fun.
So, what made this summer different? The Winegarners had moved away, which upset us as their boys were the same age as my brother Wirt and I. And who moved in, a foreign family. Their last name was Minkovich, and they spoke broken English and what my brothers and I knew was Russian. We were sure they were spies who had moved to Sugar Lake to obtain our secrets and steal our valuables. When they were home, we would hide in the bushes and record their actions for the U.S. Agency on Russian Activities (I don’t think there was really any such agency.)
Then one day, our father crossed the line. He went over to the Minkovich’s with two cans of Gotz beer. We watched closely from our secret hiding place as our father became a part of this spy conspiracy. After the beers were gone, Minkovich brought mind-altering drugs to induce our father to give all our secrets. I remember these drinks were white (White Russians) and they drank multiple of them. Afterwards, our father’s English became quite altered, and the two became quite friendly. Days passed, and other spies came to the Minkovich house. All of them spoke with broken English, and many wore unusual clothing.
Independence Day was always special at Sugar Lake. We hung large flags, mounted red, white and blue streamers on our fence and fireworks. Lots of fireworks. After breakfast, we were ready to go outside and start shooting our firecrackers. Dad and mom had something different in mind for us on this particular 4th of July. We all went next door to the Minkovich’s house and presented them an American Flag. I looked at my brothers, and we knew that dad and mom had gone to the other side.
Mrs. Minkovich answered the door and invited us in. She presented us with a tray filled with exotic pastries, which we boys refused (we knew they were poison.) Then it happened, our father presented Dr. Minkovich with an American Flag. I asked my father how and why he did this. The Minkovich’s were crying because on this Independence Day, they had become American citizens. My father told us how Dr. Minkovich and his family had escaped from Hungary by hiding in the false bottom of a railroad tank car for three days without food or water. They were escaping the Soviet Union for freedom. You see, Dr. Minkovich took the little money they had to make passage to America, where they could be free and help others. Dr. Minkovich was a trained psychologist, and he was working at the St. Joe, Missouri, mental hospital.
Afterwards, our family and the Minkovich’s went outside where Dr. Minkovich proudly unfurled his flag and started singing “God Bless America,” followed by the “Star Spangled Banner” and the Pledge of Allegiance. Dr. Minkovich and his family taught me something that day, how lucky I am to be born in this great, free nation. Here, people from other countries can live free and make our country better. Every year on Independence Day, the Minkovichs filled their backyard with friends who had also become American citizens. Every 4th, when the big clock struck noon, all the party’s participants would stand with tear-filled eyes, face the flag, say the Pledge of Allegiance, sing the “Star Spangled Banner” and finish with “God Bless America.”
Ever since that Independence Day in 1962, I see Old Glory displayed, I think of Dr. Minkovich and what he sacrificed, and what it means to be free. Dr. Minkovich lived next door for only three more years as he took a hospital administrator’s job in Rochester, New York. Maybe next year I will tell you about the wonderful parties and food that was served at the Minkovich’s Independence celebration.
Mark Buckley is the president of Toy Depot. He can be reached at 620-474-6100.