10/10 Excellent
Eileen B.
9 Aug 2025
Liked: Cleanliness
Our favorite story in the John Wisdom history, which we highly recommend, was the tale of the vat man. On a sweltering August day, 1910, the city was paving the road in front of the house. That night the smoke from the streaming vat of tar poured into the second floor french doors. Father Wisdom could bear no more, donned his pants and went to confront the vat man. The argument escalated, and Glen, a Wisdom son, donned his own pants and raced down the stairs. He heard the vat man say, “Go back to bed you SOB,” and Father Wisdom, in his 70’s, flattened the vat man. Quoting the history, “if he’d been a hundred he would take those words from no man.” Glen picked up the vat man and ran off down the street. The family persuaded Father Wisdom to go inside, having done enough.Still pre-dawn, the police arrived with a warrant for Father’s arrest. The second time that night, he donned his pants. To the surprise of all, the man making the complaint had only one arm. Glen swore he was in possession of both. Father Wisdom admitted that it was dark and he was justifiably riled considering the smoke and insults.In the paper the next morning, the headline read, “Prominent Business Man and Son Assault One-armed Man.” Glen, convinced that vat man had switched places with another, went into law and returned home to set the story straight. He never did find the legitimate vat man and forever the Wisdoms were haunted by the charge: assault and vattery of a one-armed man.
Eileen B.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025