'The Fighting Liberal' was a tightwad

Bud Manker recreates how he would meet George Norris in the alley in the 1930s as Manker walked home from school. Norris would be out of breath from sawing, Manker said, and would welcome conversation with the junior high boy. Manker may be destined to brush shoulders with politics, as he now owns a house in McCook that was the boyhood home of Gov. Dave Heineman.

Like many residents his age, Vernon "Bud" Manker is a veritable walking museum of McCook history.

But whether it was delivering dry cleaning to a "cathouse" on B Street, or watching the construction of the East Ward school, Manker had plenty to talk about growing up in McCook during the 1930s, with even Sen. George Norris making his way into his conversations.

Because his father was a railroader, as with many families in McCook, Manker and his sisters had free passes by rail to travel to towns along the train route. At one stop, Manker recalled seeing other boys his age with shoeshine kits making money in the streets. Thinking it was a good idea, Manker made his own shoeshine kit when he came home, and took it down on Main Street.

"I think Mrs. Norris felt sorry for me," Manker said, "but she she told me to come up to the house Saturday morning, and I did."

Waiting for Manker were two pairs of shoes, one belonging to Mrs. Norris and one to her husband, George. Manker continued to shine the Norris' shoes for the next few years, even though Mrs. Norris paid him a nickel a pair instead of the going rate of 10 cents.

She would make up the difference by offering Manker a piece of cake, cookies, or a piece of pie, he said.

"It made a good deal for a kid," Manker remembered.

Norris himself could be a spendthrift as well, Manker said, as he related an incident where Norris tried to buy cigars from the local shop. Norris pulled out three cigars from the offered box, and laid a dime on the counter. When he was told cigars were five cents a piece, Norris told the owner, "I can get three for a dime in Washington," and left the store, minus the cigars.

But because "he liked his cigars," as Manker recalled, Norris came back minutes later, to buy just one.

The owner allegedly told Norris, according to Manker, "You can get them three for a dime in Washington, so you can go to Washington to buy one."

Manker's father was active in labor organizations, and would talk to Norris about politics, said Manker.

"But as a kid, you don't care about that stuff," he said. Manker often would walk down the alley behind Norris' house to go to school, and he would see the senator using the saw buck set up in his backyard, ready for some conversation.

A saw buck, Manker explained, is different from a saw horse as it is one piece and holds the wood steady. This original saw buck was recently found in the garage at the George Norris Home, facility coordinator Duane Tappe said.

Manker graduated from high school and went on to electrical school in Chicago. After serving in the Army, Manker lived and worked in St. Louis for the American Can Co., in the research and development department.

Returning to McCook six years ago, Manker keeps busy at the Heritage Senior Center, reading newspapers at the library, and spearheading bull sessions with Tappe at the Norris house.

"Everything was part of my education growing up, about who to trust and who not to trust," Manker said. And what about trusting the women at the local "cathouse"?

"We never had a problem with them paying," Manker said.