I've written before about Tommy Doran, a young man who fell beneath a train at a young age, losing both arms. Despite what many people would consider an overwhelming handicap, Doran became something of a Memphis celebrity, calling himself the "Armless News Boy" and earning a living by selling newspapers and other items from a stand downtown. He died in 1956, at the age of 70.
One of my readers, Estelle Guttman of Reston, Virginia, contacted me recently to share a remarkable object. He owns a small wooden box, which was apparently decorated with flowers and other designs — using some kind of wood-burning tool — by Tommy Doran. How on earth he managed to do this is beyond me.
As you can see, Doran signed and dated the box on the bottom, and it was apparently meant to be a gift to somebody named H.B. Hagy, but so far I have not been able to determine who Hagy was, or where they lived.
But while I'm still researching that, I thought I'd share some photos of the old box with you. Thanks, Estelle, for sharing this with me.
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY ESTELLE GUTTMAN
