“Come here, Mr. Watson. I want to see you.” Those were the immortal words of Alexander Graham Bell as he first demonstrated his new invention, the telephone, on March 10, 1876. Telephones have certainly come a long way since that fateful day, and Boomers have witnessed many amazing changes over the years. During the World War II, Western Electric shifted production strictly to war-related … [Read more...]
When There Were Great Movies
We don’t go to many movies, Nancy and I, but we recently shelled out twenty bucks for a Sunday matinee to see Hot Pursuit, with Reese Witherspoon and Sophia Vergara. It was quite an experience. We arrived in time, but the previews these days last as long as the feature film. I suppose it gives you more time to eat $15 worth of popcorn. If you order a large drink, it comes in a container about the … [Read more...]
Paperboy: A Boomer’s First Job
Paperboy: A Boomer’s First Job For many young Boomer males, becoming a “paper boy” was the first real job. There may have been a few “paper girls” out there, but not many. Today, automobiles – particularly those with 4-wheel drive – are the principal means of newspaper distribution. But in the years following the war and all the way through the 60’s and 70’s, paper boys on … [Read more...]
Mom, Can I Lick the Beater?
There was no such thing as fast food in the 1950’s. There were a few drive-ins, but they were anything but fast. And drive-ins were a last resort for the families of the 1950’s and early 60’s. They were pricey and folks back then didn’t have a lot of extra cash to spend. Most families ate at home every night, and for Boomers looking back at some of those great meals, who could ever … [Read more...]
Car Hops and Curb Service
How do young people meet these days? Kids don’t have weekend dances. There are there no more drive-in movies and there are no drive-in restaurants - no place to circle the parking lot looking for girls, or boys, as the case may be. Boomers look back nostalgically at the days when a young lady called a carhop would take your order for a frosted mug of root beer and an order of fries. You’d give her … [Read more...]
Turn The Radio On
Many Boomers lived in an era call BT. Before television. In the late 40’s and early 50’s, there were only a handful of TVs in the entire United States. I think the White House had one, and maybe Clark Gable, and that was about it. My family had a Philco radio. It was the center of our family and social life. We kept the radio in the kitchen so Mom could listen while she was fixing meals … [Read more...]
The Ice Cream Man
It took about three weeks for the euphoria of getting out of school for the summer to fade away. By that time, Boomer kids had seen all they wanted of their friends, and had done about everything there was to do. The youngsters had played enough Monopoly games to qualify as miniature real estate tycoons. The Hide and Seek adventures every night were fun, but the “hiders” soon ran out of … [Read more...]
It’s Howdy Doody Time
Hey kids! What time is it? Breathes there a Boomer who doesn’t know the answer to that question? If it was Buffalo Bob Smith asking and it was a weekday afternoon on NBC in the 1950’s, it was most definitely “Howdy Doody time.” Boomers remember the Howdy Doody Show as much for the quality of life during those years as for the quality of this popular children’s program. It was a time of peace … [Read more...]
Duncan Yo-Yos
If you look closely at the middle finger on the right hand of an average Boomer, you may see the feint shape of a ring imprint embedded in the skin. That likely came from the ever-tightening string of a Duncan Yo-Yo, one of the most popular toys of Boomerhood. But yo-yos were really more than just toys, they were instruments of wonder, so much so that a half-hour of school time was often … [Read more...]
A Visit to the Principal
“Report to the principal’s office!” For young Boomers, those words were the equivalent of “Uncle Sam really wants you!” or “Is it contagious?” An invitation to the principal’s office in the 1950’s and 60’s was not for discussing world events or even for a chat about your future pursuit of higher education. It was not to find out your thoughts on the Homecoming Dance décor for the gymnasium … [Read more...]