[at-l] Long and way off topic-phones etc.

[cvano at tmail.com]

The Good Ole Days.

I started life on a farm just outside of Kansas City, MO.  I don't think 
we had a phone at all until we moved to CA in 55.  It was black and on 
the wall.  Our exchange was MEtcalf while 10 miles away was NEmark.  
BTW, that's why there are still letters on the number pad (dial).  Same 
numbers (63) so it was long distance and required an operator.  No cell 
phones glued to ears then while driving, checking out at the grocers, or 
taking a crap.  Everyone either hollered or talked over the fence or 
just face to face.  Everybody would sit in the kitchen and smoke and 
drink coffee and talk.  You knew and talked to your neighbors back then 
and nobody ever locked their doors and you left the car keys in the 
ignition so you knew where they were.  The milkman and mailman would 
almost always stop at our house for a while and the breadman always had 
a fresh glazed doughnut for me.  People were actually friendly to one 
another and not scared of strangers.  Things have changed, some for the 
better.  You never saw a black person in my neighborhood or if you did 
you called the cops.  If you acted up, whoever caught you would give you 
a spanking on the spot.  This was expected and encouraged.  If you were 
really bad, you had to go cut your own switch and bring it back.  TV 
(all 7 channels in LA) only broadcast from 8AM till 11PM.  There was a 
payphone (5¢) on every corner right next to the cigarette machine (20¢) 
and the paper cost a dime... delivered.  If you lost your nickle in the 
payphone, the would mail it back to you first class (3¢).  Course 
airmail had special red and blue stripes on the envelope and cost a lot 
more.  You went camping with a green canvas cabin tent that required 
elephants to move, cooked on a Coleman stove, and lit the Coleman 
lantern and slept on a cot.  You had to have big Redwing waterproof 
boots, flannel, and an Army surplus pack.  You fed the bears so they 
would come closer to the car!  Rangers led campfires with talks, slide 
shows, and sing alongs.  They didn't act like cops then.  You drank 
right out of the stream or garden hose and never gave it a thought.  
Water didn't come in bottles and it was free.  Didn't cost more than gas 
(20¢ a gallon full service which included 3 guys in white with bow ties 
who checked under the hood, cleaned the windows, and checked tire 
pressure.)  Everyone hitch hiked.  If a car was stopped along side of 
the highway, you stopped too, to help.  Big, folding paper maps were 
free at the service station.  I don't know how we ever survived without 
cell phones, the internet, (we had a Sears and Roebuck ~ whatever 
happened to him? ~ catalog) GPS, or OnStar.  Sputnik!  Bomb shelters.  
Duck and cover.  School started every day with the flag salute.  If a 
woman worked, she was either a telephone operator or a nurse.  Usually 
she stayed home and cooked or vacuumed, in high heals and pearls, while 
smiling!  Home perms.  The seam in the back of her hose.  Captain 
Kangeroo!  Lassie!  Disneyland opened!  Airplanes lost their 
propellers.  You had to wind the clock (and your watch) before you went 
to bed.  If you made a dollar an hour, it was considered Good Money and 
you could support your family on it.  One income.  Ah, those were the 
days.  Ok, this is way too long and I'm gonna be late for work if I 
don't stop.
Beyond this point
There be dragons...

Chris ~ S/V Drifter
Anacortes, WA. ~~~_/) ~~~