Parks Alexander - My Friend

PARKS ALEXANDER - MY FRIEND

by Roger C. Haynes

Cover From issue with this story

This story is a bit of a challenge, not only because of my respect for Mr. Alexander, but because I have to tell the facts as they are, and they start with a character named Joe Stegall.

Ole Joe as a lot of his friends called him passed away a few years ago, and is sadly missed. He was the catering man for Troutmans Barbecue here in Concord NC, and to be frank, nobody could spin a tale like "ole Joe"....

In the mid 1980's when I became single again, I took a daily trip or two to Troutmans for breakfast and lunch usually, and sometimes Joe would be filling in for an absent fry cook. After a long chat with an elderly gent at the counter one day, Joe enlightened me that he was a retired Highway Patrolman. I found that interesting, and even further he was an original patrolman from the earliest days of the patrol, riding a motorcycle.

Robert Parks Alexander was a frequent visitor to the restaurant, mostly with his wife, but some days alone where he would sit at the counter and we would talk. After I found out he was a patrolman I learned more of his job, and his riding cycles, and the dangers it presented as he patrolled alone in two of the counties of the 100 that make up NC.

Joe saw us talking at lunch one day and when Mr. Alexander left he said, "you know I was at his house one day and saw his original Motorcycle license plate for that patrol bike"..... I was shocked. Then I realized who I was talking to, and ole Joe had been known to bend the truth a bit from time to time. So I let the remark slide, and did not try and think about it, or if it was really true.

A year or so later I asked Mr. Alexander while he was eating with his wife if I might pay him a visit, and although we are friends now, I felt like Mrs. Alexander didn't want me to come to their home, after all, I was a big stranger and this is the 90's. So I respected that and I waited for a more opportune time.

In the summer of 1995 I was busy planning my summer trip to NY when I got a call from Mr. Alexander quizzing me about a 1940 NC plate. Seems he wanted to send it to a fellow retired trooper who was building a 1940 Buick Patrol Car replica. I told him I had a plate he could get. I also took a deep breath and asked, "You might have something I'd like to have too..."

"What's that?" he asked.

I then asked him if he really had the plate from his old police bike, and he said in his slow drawl "Yes...."

"Well I'd like to buy that if you'd sell it."

"I never thought about selling it." he replied.

I then told him what I would be willing to pay, and his response humored me.

"In Cash...."

And I said, "Yes Sir, I'll pay you in cash."

"I'll do that"

So the deal was struck, and at 1:PM that day I was at the home of Mr. Alexander for the first time to see what he had, and sure enough, there it was.

Hanging in a shed behind his garage, on a hot humid August day was a NC treasure to behold. A NC Highway Patrol Motorcycle tag, number HP53 for 1937, in original paint. Guarded and cared for by this old trooper for many years, since he rode that old bike.

To my surprise, just under it was another scarce piece of trooper history. A tag circa 1936 with the patrol prefix SHP, #166. I asked about it too, and he said that was the tag from his first car, and those were his call numbers when they first got radios.

Trooper history is a pretty gray area when it comes to the plates, so if the style of plate was first introduced in 1936, and his bike was a 37, these undated SHP plates must have been used for several years for the cars of the Patrol. A deal was struck to buy all 4 tags from Mr. Alexander. (Including his 73 & 74 issues.)

Although the day was hot, I asked Mr. Alexander if I could have a picture with him and the plates, and after carefully removing them from the wall, he agreed to the pictures, which were taken several times so I would have a good one for sure.

He knew I was about to leave for NY and kept adding to his statements "I know you're in a hurry" but he was a tough fella to just walk away from.

He showed me photos of the ole bike he rode, an INDIAN, and wanted me to stay longer but I begged off with errands to run prior to my trip.

Parks Alexander and I were to meet a few more times at the restaurant, and reminisce about his days on the Patrol. I visited his home briefly once more when he returned the 1940 plate I had given him as part of the plates I acquired. Again in a rush I hurried off and promised to return one day just to interview him about his days as a Motorcycle Trooper.

On Tuesday November 14th Mr. and Mrs. Alexander were again at Troutmans, I stopped by their booth before I left to pay my respects. Parks was reminding me how when he joined the patrol they gave you $100 a month and the sergeant required them to carry insurance, "Cuz I know you're gonna bust yer ass!" He chuckled to relate the story to me. Later as we walked to the register, he was asking me if I wanted to buy some leaves. Seems he had an abundant crop he had been raking that day.

I was off on another trip, and bid him farewell with the promise I would see him soon. I went off to the Raleigh Auto Fest.

Monday at breakfast, again at my usual spot at the counter, I was talking to another cook and friend, Frank Hatley. Making conversation, he remarked, "Well I guess they buried Mr. Alexander, the ole Patrolman Saturday".... My heart sunk.

"What!" I gasped.

It was obvious to Frank then I did not know Mr. Alexander had passed away suddenly on November 16th, just two days after I last saw him.

Frank and I spoke of knowing him well, and of his fondness for the barbecue he was not supposed to have, but cheated with a bit from time to time, Frank slipping him a taste of the browned skin he liked so much.

Robert Parks Alexander was buried with a full ceremonies, with an honor guard of Highway Patrolmen on Saturday November 18th, 1995, just a few days before his 85th birthday. He was laid to rest in his native soil of Mecklenburg County North Carolina, where he spent his youth, raised in the Derita community, now a suburb of Charlotte.

In losing my friend I was taught a sobering lesson. Never put off an opportunity to learn from a man such as Mr. Alexander was. My busy life had prevented me from doing the interview with him I wanted to share with you, my readers, about Christmas time of 1995.

Knowing the albums of photos were at his home, I have stayed in touch with Mrs. Alexander, and after a brief meeting or two, again at the restaurant, where it saddens me to see her alone, I told her of my desire to feature Parks in my magazine. She lit up with the thoughtand exclaimed that would be nice.

The following photos both old and new are used with her blessing to tell you more about her husband of 60 years.

On this months cover, that is Parks on the bike of course, with his friend Joe Pearce, who worked at the light and water department in Louisburg NC where Parks was first stationed.

It is a shame that in all the photos of him with his INDIAN Motorcycle, not one shows the plate, he was quite proud that most showed the side of the tank where the emblem of NC was accented by HIGHWAY PATROL.

Other photos are self explanatory.

The shed where I took the plates down in August 95, and Parks with the two older plates and HFA-101 (1973) and HFP-414 (1974), the last two plates he used on his patrol cars. In later years, and approaching retirement he was assigned to serve summons and retrieve license plates that were due to be turned in for various reasons.

In the close up of the plates the cycle and SHP are most rare, the others are passenger but served as patrol plates. The cycle is perhaps the only one known to survive, while there are four example of the SHP plates known, two on the restored 35 patrol car at the SPENCER SHOPS MUSEUM in Spencer NC, and one other in the vast collection of Ted Cline in Salisbury NC. So all 4 plates are within 40 miles of each other.

Parks entered Patrol School in July 1935. Patrol rules called for being a member for a year before you could get married.

Mildred McLain and Parks were married in 1936. She shared duty stations with him that included Louisburg NC, Warrenton, Goldsboro, and finally they moved to Cabarrus County in 1949, and have resided here in Concord ever since.

Mildred explains that working for the Patrol in the early days, Parks only made $100 a month and after insurance of $4.00, they survived many years on $96 a month. She compared it to average wages of the local population, despite the dangers of the job.

Mr. Alexander disliked the motorcycles and called them dangerous, especially after losing a friend killed in the line of duty while chasing two escaped convicts, who had been declared outlaws. If you're unfamiliar with that term, in NC if you are a dangerous felon, and are declared an outlaw, you can be shot on sight..... It doesn't happen often, but has a couple of times since I have lived here.

Parks was never seriously hurt on his INDIAN, although he did hit a dog once, dumping the bike, scraping his arm and tearing his pants. Mildred relates the dog owner was quite upset, the road was often lonesome for this early cycle cop.

Later assigned to Cabarrus County (Home of Concord, and the Charlotte Motor Speedway) he totaled a squad car chasing a couple of drunken GI's, again escaping any harm.

The Concord Tribune did a feature article on Mr. Alexander upon his retirement in 1974. In it they related something identical to the feelings of your editor. Fishing would not be part of retirement for him, if the fish don't bite in 5 minutes he related, he would start throwing rocks or something, almost identical to the statement I make at any discussion of fishing. If they are not biting in 5 minutes, I'll find something else to do.

Retirement consisted of feeding the birds and squirrels and doing yard work for this trooper pioneer. When I look back at my knowing him I will remember the twinkle in his eye, and pride he carried when he spoke of the patrol, his time and his friends on the job. Each time I see a patrol car, I look for the number, admire the design, and think of Parks Alexander,,,, He was my friend......