DOUBLE M: THE PARKHURSTS - RALPH & JEFF'S INTERVIEWS

The Great Depression, World War II and Vietnam all have an impact on the Double M ranch in the years from the Depression to 1979. Suzanna and Clay Parkhurst along with Ralph and Barbara Jennings, work to enlarge the Double M ranch while weathering the economic and conflict storms that buffet the rest of the country.

RALPH’S INTERVIEW

1.)  The Depression hit this country pretty hard. From what we hear you and your wife Barbara, along with Suzanna and Clay weathered the storm very well. How did you manage to do that? My father didn’t completely trust banks. When he built our house, he added a secret safe in the basement. Since I kept the books for the Double M as well as Suzanna and Clay, I made sure the majority of our cash never made it to one of the now failing banks.

2.)  By the end of the Depression the Double M nearly tripled in size and Suzanna owned K-Chemical. Your holdings also increased and yet you don’t own a ranch. Why is that? I’m like my father. I enjoy being the ranch manager but I don’t have the headaches Suzanna and Clay have. My holdings are in real estate. Corbit will, one day, grow. I intend to have the land to sell when the time is right.

3.)  Whatever possessed Suzanna to buy K-Chemical? Will you be comfortable working there? The offer came at the right time. Suzanna is no dummy. She knows her son Jeff will never be happy on the Double M. She bought it so Jeff could run it. As for me working there, I’m only helping out until Jeff and his friend Pete Janish can take over. When their working here, I’ll be happy to be back in the saddle doing what I do best.

JEFF’S INTERVIEW

1.)    Your mother purchased K-Chemical so you would have a position after college. Do you and Pete think you can make the company a success? We’re coming out of the Depression. I see great things for the future of K-Chemical as well as Corbit. I’m just glad I didn’t come back to the Double M. I don’t belong there.

2.)    How do you know Pete Janish will be a perfect fit for your company? Pete and I have been roommates at college for the past year. There’s no one in the world I trust more than I do him. I see our friendship like the one Mike Mallon shared with Nevada Jennings. We make a great team.

3.)    I congratulate you not only on your marriage to Carol, but also on your acquisition of Collier Industries. While you were in Chicago, did you see your Uncle Mallon? I invited the son of a bitch to my hotel for lunch. It was the biggest mistake of my life. Everything I’d ever heard about him was true. I swear to God I’ll never tell Ma about meeting him. It would break her heart.

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