did i grow up in your hometown?

[pete black]

cannot believe how closely matched our younger years were. many, many mentioned that i experienced but failed to remember. ready for some more, also appreciate the help.
when somebody did something trivial for dad he always answered "much obliged"
zippo lighters, as essential as a pocket knife(?)
couldn't afford zippo, go to the dollar store for a cheap one which would leak fluid in your pocket
ever buy those little pieces of flint for your lighter? took 3 to fill them up
new car models came out in early fall only
first new car i remember in a showroom: 55 chevy
remember car seat lap belts, only equipped in front seat and soon ended up in rear floorboard
rear seat belts followed and neatly tucked in space between seats
sitting in the center of the back seat was the worst place to sit, especially in a 2 door sedan
nearly all fights started by the person sitting there
calling "shotgun" first allowed you to sit in the front passenger seat by the door, if mom wasn't there
as you aged, mom to the center, you at the door; rite of passage
mom's hair, no matter how well sprayed or how hot the temperature, windows were up
what about those bags placed under a lady's arm to absorb sweat
lady's deodorant that you smeared on with fingers
men's deodorant; none
men's nylon shirts with a strap t-shirt underneath
why where those bed springs so noisy tonight
riding on the front fender of a pre-50's vehicle
did your dad really clean the oil bath filter
letting car wax dry too long and can't rub it off
did you ever use brake fluid on your tires to make them shine
laying in bed with younger brother and holler "i'm going to spit straight up", when he ducks head under covers, you rip off a big one
jockey under wear that the elastic waist turned to rubber bands, wore them anyway, all you had
first hip hugging underwear
jockey underwear that the leg hole got as big as the waist and soon everything worked its way out
why was the big toe the first place to have a hole in the sock
the insole hole and the outside hole soon met
did you ever use true bailing wire on a boot
white leather belts with double eyelets
extremely narrow neckties
tie clip with small chain attached to buttonhole
clip on bowties
cuff links with plastic gems, nice
good one about the vasoline and flattops
clothes line out back with a clothes pin bucket
rag attached to clothes line, mom would walk down line holding rag to clean the wire
prop pole in middle to raise sag so clothes wouldn't touch ground
mom fighting dogs that tore clothes off line
running outside to get clothes before a sudden rain storm, everybody went
winter time, wet clothes freezing on line
using clothes pin half to wedge centrifugal clutch together so you could push start chushman scooter
mom hollering at you not to use her clothes pin, how did she know?
trying to put a clothes pin back together
saving money all year for vacation only to spend it all on cheap souvenirs
like a coconut shaped liked a monkey's head
tom tom with a real rubber head which drove dad crazy
did you really pay a dollar to have your picture taken with a indian in the smokies
how about the little black boy with a thermometer in his belly and a fuzzy stuff on his bottom to predict weather
got a conch shell from florida in your closet and can you really hear the ocean in it?
roadside picnic tables, packing a meal was a necessity
on a trip, better fill up before dark cause that was when stations closed
thermometers from a service station
church's ceiling exhaust fan, all windows adjusted equally so air pulled through each window evenly
readjusting them got you in trouble with the older man in charge of them
once you sat down in church you did not leave for anything till it was over
mom would fan you while you slept on her shoulder
hospitals had very specific and strict visiting hours
children had to stay in waiting room
nurses wore white; starched
need some help: used to be a flavoring by watkins that was a red and yellow syrup in same bottle used to flavor cakes. do anyone recall the name? thanks
gone for now.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Sitting in the waiting room at the Doctor's office smoking a Pall Mall? First car in the local showroom I remember was a yellow '68 RoadRunner, the dealer let me honk the horn!

 

[Eric in IL]

Remember when you didn't have to go to town to do your "trading" ?

 

[Paul Shuler]

One of my fondest memories was watching gun smoke on my dads lap. Im my eyes dad was Matt Dillon.

 

[PJH]

I've been enjoying your posts Pete! Some of the stuff you describe as history still goes on around here.

Thanks,
Paul

 

[VicS]

I remember it all! We had a huckster come by once a week. Buster Calkins. He drove a AA Ford school bus. It had a freezer right behind the driver for ice cream. We traded eggs and cream for staples. I always got a ice cream bar. There were people that didn't go to town but once a month, if that.

 

[retired farmer]

When you went to town, the first place your mother headed was the dress store. Grocery store on way out of town. When you went to the local hardware store the owner knew you by your first name. People would stop and talk to you on the street.

 

[charlie n]

Just thought of this.I'll set the senatorial

8:00pm and all of a sudden the TV goes blank.Sound but no picture.Dad get out of his chair,whips the set around ,and pulls the carriage out of the back.Finds the tube that looks bad and with towel in hand gives it a pull.Out it comes and within a matter of seconds you,your dad(still in his house slippers),and the tube are off to the Rexall. As you enter the store there's the tube tester.You put the tube in the right holes(today called a port)and flip the switch. The tube doesn't light.So you open the drawer in the tester cabinet and find the box with the right number.Off to the cashier and then back home.This was done so you could catch the 10:00 news.You always manage to get a candy bar too.

And there's always the time you thought it would be cool to talk like dad when he got mad.You did it in front of mom or grandma once and never again.

 

[Larry NEIL]

My Mom got cancer as I started HS. Dad always smoked and every hospital room had an ashtray in it. Her surgeon always had a big cigar in his mouth when ever he came in.
Dad always said Sears planned their catalog for sales. It was always delivered in late fall for Christmas and by the time spring got here, you were down to the planter pages!

 

[Hoenes]

Still had the old "bell and magnet" type crank-up phone when I was very young. Our ring was "three longs, and two shorts" which people delivered with the hand crank. One big party line around the neighborhood, and everyone new everyone else's ring, so all the old women would "listen in" on your call. Lines on poles looked like no more than #9 wire. When I was 6 or 7, bell telephone came through and plowed in dial cable, and we got a black rotary phone! Talk about high tech! Rural NEMO 1962

 

[SweetFeet]

pete black,
Thanks for posting. Fun to read.

I do remember rotary phones. And party lines. We got married in the mid-80's, then bought our farm a year later. STILL had a 2-party line...I could not believe it! Thought they had gone out of style way before that.