SEPTEMBER • 2008 • NEWSLETTER

The 2009 Reminisce Calendar is here!
Get your copy today »

Childhood Friends
Doll Puzzle from Reminisce »

Check Out Reminisce’s 1940s DVD Set »

$$parm3$$

Dear $$firstname$$,

Even the smallest kindnesses in life can make a big impact on someone. For evidence, read the story below from Earl Loch, who found out just how much his generous time spent helped a boy grow into a man.

In additional stories this month, other kids also navigate their way through the fun and sometimes awkward terrain of childhood, taking some lessons with them.

—The Folks at Reminisce

$$parm2$$

In this issue:

• The Little Boy Next Door
• What a Find! Bargain Paint!
• Happy Birthday: 1940s-Style
• Poem: Eighty-Somethin’
• Over the Back Fence
• Time Capsule Trivia
• A Thought to Remember

The Little Boy Next Door

By Earl G. Loch
Pittston, Pennsylvania

There it was in the morning paper: “Do you have a heartwarming story about fatherhood?”

I thought, How can I have any story about fatherhood when I am not a father? Maggie and I had been married 6 years when we got the devastating news that we wouldn’t be able to have children. We both come from large families, so this news was hard to swallow.

We finally accepted it and realized God must have other plans for us. We immersed ourselves in day-to-day living and celebrated other people’s children.

One of the children special to us was Tony, the little boy next door. When he was 3 or 4, we played a game we called “draw the tool.” I would draw a hand tool, such as a hammer or wrench, and he would try to identify it. We also played “draw the hat.” I would draw a firefighter helmet or a cowboy hat, and he would guess who wore a hat like that.

When Tony was 7, he started to play Little League Baseball. Maggie and I attended many of his games. After a game, we’d sit on the porch and talk about it. I tried to impress upon him the importance of sportsmanship and trying your best. The first thing I’d ask him after a game was not “Did you win?” I’d ask, “Did you have fun?”

Tony became a teenager in the 1960s and loved the music of that era. One day, at our house, the subject of music came up. I asked him if he would like to hear some “good music.” He reluctantly agreed.

Before I placed the 1812 Overture record on the turntable, I told him the story. He sat there spellbound for the entire recording!

Also around this time, my wife bought me a ukulele. We’d sit around and play and sing for hours. I taught Tony how to play In the Good Old Summertime.

In high school, Tony was a terrific athlete. He lettered in three sports for his 4 years. I showed him how to “fake his man” when going out for a pass in football. We used the big maple tree in our backyard as his man. We practiced that drill often, and he learned it well.

Maggie and I also spent a lot of time together besides sports time. We played board games and taught him to play cinch, a popular card game.

In 1972, Maggie and I lost everything we owned in the great flood of northern Pennsylvania. We relocated to an adjacent town and temporarily lost track of our boy next door.

When Tony graduated from college, we received an invitation to attend his graduation party, which we did. Shortly thereafter, we were sent a graduation picture and a thank-you note that said, “Thanks for making my graduation day a happy one, because it wouldn’t have been complete without you.” It was signed, “Your #1 Son, Tony.”

As time went by, we didn’t see too much of Tony. We all were busy with our lives. Occasionally, we’d run into each other and have a quick catch-up of news.

Then, in 1995, we received a Christmas card with familiar handwriting. When I opened the card, there was a picture of a little lad who looked just like our little boy next door! The card was signed, “Love…Tony, Jolyne and Anthony.” As I stared at the photo, I thought back 40 years.

When I turned the picture over, I saw written in Tony’s hand, “Anthony, 18 months. Can’t wait to teach him: Draw the Tool, Fake the Tree in the Yard, How to Play the Ukulele, How to Play Parchese, How to Play Cinch, Listen to the 1812 Overture. Most importantly: How to have fun…even though you lost the game!”

Their 1997 Christmas card featured a photo of two boys, Anthony and Michael. Included was a note telling us they were building a home and living in a townhouse near us.

Tony also wrote, “I can’t think of anything that would make my holiday brighter than seeing both of you.”

It was a cold, dreary December day when I decided to stop at Tony’s house while on my daily walk. My thoughts were on that little boy next door, now in the middle of his life with two boys of his own.

When I rang the doorbell, Tony answered. He stood there, wide-eyed, recognizing me immediately, although I am an old man now. Jolyne and Michael were not home, but I spent a long time talking about old times and visiting with Anthony, a wonderful little boy so much like his father.

When I was ready to leave, Tony showed me the boys’ playroom and said, “Here’s where we play ‘draw the tool’ and ‘draw the hat.’ We also play classical music on the CD player.”

As I left, the cold December wind in my face made tears stream down my cheeks. Or was it something else? Maybe this was God’s plan for us…make a difference…contribute…touch a life.

top

What a Find! Bargain Paint!

The author and her younger sister, Cathy. View large image

By Debby Robinson-Moore
Lake Forest, California

Long before today’s home improvement shows or “do-it-yourself” design programs on television, there was a little-known extreme makeover in Kenosha, Wisconsin during the summer of 1964.

Our parents were both at work, but Grandpa was home and, as usual, at work outside in the garage.

My younger sister, Cathy, and I had already spent the better part of the morning cleaning up and rearranging our bedroom, but then we got the wonderful idea to change the color of our soft, soothing blue room to “something else.”

I was 12 at the time, and my sister was 8. We got out our piggy banks and pooled our allowance money. We scooped it up, got on our bicycles and rode down the street to the Sears, Roebuck store.

We located the paint department and were delighted to find a “bargain paint” bin. We could buy a whole gallon of Federal Gold Exterior House Paint for only $5. We even had money left over to buy a paintbrush.

Knowing we only had one brush and one can of paint, I came up with another brilliant idea. I took an empty bucket and a small whisk broom from the basement, figuring this would work just as well as a paintbrush and the bucket would allow us both to paint at the same time.

Armed with our tools, we crept back into our room, ready to begin. We shut the bedroom door to make sure we weren’t disturbed, which really meant, “Hope Grandpa doesn’t catch us!”

I was taller and older, so I decided to paint the walls from the floor up. Cathy’s task was to paint the ceiling from the upper bunk bed by jumping up and down and to paint the parts I couldn’t reach on the walls.

Much to our dismay, when we opened up our can of bargain paint, it was more of a dirty mustard color than a gold, federal or otherwise, but that didn’t dampen our spirits.

We started in on our project, but soon the future of the Robinson Girls Interior Decorating Company came to a screeching halt when we were discovered by Grandpa.

He let it be known that we not only didn’t know the first thing about painting, but we were going to be in serious trouble when our mother got home.

Grandpa decided to come to our rescue, however. He went back to the store, bought the proper interior gold paint, came back and painted over our disaster before Mother came home from work.

top

Happy Birthday: 1940s-Style

By Winifred Crombie
Huntley, Illinois

My mother scraped up her sugar-ration stamps and put together two dreamy layers of chocolate with white frosting. World War II had just ended, and a bakery cake was still a distinct luxury.

We lived in Tacoma, Washington, and in the days before television, a birthday party was a big event for a 7-year-old such as me. I carefully wrote the invitations out in my stilted script, licked the envelopes and took them to Grant Elementary School to be discreetly handed out.

In those days, parties were held in living rooms, not themed restaurant venues, so the guest list had to be rather limited; there was only so much room.

The day of my party was magic. People wanted to sit next to me at lunch and hang out with me at recess, and my seat was decorated with crepe-paper streamers. My teacher, Miss Egan, acknowledged the event, and everyone sang Happy Birthday to You.

Finally, school was over and the invitees gathered around me, presents in hand. Since we had spent the day in dresses—no jeans—we were already appropriately attired. We didn’t have a school bus, as everyone simply walked the few blocks home with me.

The dining room table was set with plates for the cake and ice cream to come—chocolate, strawberry or vanilla being the only choices. Crepe-paper streamers swung from the lights.

My mother took the presents and put them in a special place. She then took everyone’s coats.

These were the days before professional entertainers such as clowns and magicians were regularly hired to entertain party guests. We made our own fun right there in the living room. Family rooms were yet to come.

Most notable of the games was the venerable “pin the tail on the donkey.” We twirled the blindfolded pinner and shouted, “Cold...warm...warmer...hot!” as they staggered toward the goal. The winner chose a prize from an array of candy bars.

My mother had a favorite door prize activity. She carefully counted jellybeans into a glass bowl and posted a sign: “Guess how many?” The final tally always fired up discussion.

For another game, we paired up, each with an orange rocking on a tablespoon. The object was to knock the opponent’s orange to the ground.

In the 1940s, we had a plethora of glass milk bottles. Taking on a real challenge, we knelt 3 feet above the targeted bottle to see how many clothespins we could drop into it for another coveted candy bar.

If it was warm enough outside, we tumbled out of the house for “red rover” and “hide-and-seek.” I don’t recall anyone ever being bored. Birthday parties were usually either all boys or all girls; there was little mixing.

As my friends made their way to the dining room, there were no elaborate goodie bags to greet them. It was simply candies in a little fluted white paper cup. There were party hats and little things that flipped out when we blew them.

If a birthday party was held on a Saturday, there was the possibility of taking our guests to a movie. But first, they had to assemble in the living room for the presents, cake and ice cream.

The festivities came to a close and everyone clamored to be the last one delivered to their doorstep. The event was talked about for days…until the next birthday party.

Poem: Eighty-Somethin’

By Erik Braum
Lafayette, Louisiana

Now that I’m eighty-somethin’
There’s not too much to do;
So I usually sleep late
They say it’s good for you.

I’ll get up, make breakfast
Like Cream of wheat, oatmeal;
I take my “Metamucil”
That helps the way I feel.

Then, I’ll watch “The Price is Right”
Don’t wanna miss that show!
After that, I’ll channel search
’Cause I’ve no place to go.

If TV gets to tirin’ me,
I can always sleep some more;
I’m ready when it’s lunchtime,
Those reruns are a bore.

I’ll open up the icebox
To see what’s there for lunch;
Leftover something’ might be good
What’s this? Don’t have a hunch!

It’s covered with that green stuff
It’s old, more than a week
I should have had it days ago
But it’s played “hide and seek.”

I’ll have a grilled cheese sandwich
A banana, that’s kind of good;
I eat a banana every day
“Prevention” says I should.

Then there’s that faucet,
It still drips, you know;
But I forgot to buy the washers,
It can wait a day or so.

I’m getting’ kinda sleepy
A meal does that to me;
Think I’ll take a little nap,
I need more sleep ya see.

Darn! It’s almost 4 o’clock,
And I haven’t done a thing!
Should have done some yard work,
But that’ll wait ’til spring.

Besides, it’s getting’ kinda late,
Time for the evening news;
Those commentators spoutin’ off,
They oughta ask my views.

When it’s time for supper,
I’ll microwave a meal;
A baked potato, broccoli,
Some chicken, that’s my deal.

Tomorrow, I might go dancin’
I have a lady friend;
She’s eighty-somethin’, too
And gets kinda short of wind.

Heck, it’s darn near 10 o’clock,
What happened to my day?
Well, I’ll do some work tomorrow,
Cause wasting time don’t pay.

top

Over the Back Fence

My mother used to quote this saying to me. It hung on the wall in the doctor’s office:

Man is more or less a fool.
When it’s hot, he wants it cool,
When it’s cool, he wants it hot,
Always wanting what is not.

—Verda Cox
Wichita, Kansas

Time Capsule Trivia

From the decades spanning the 1920s to the 1960s, try to guess what year these historic events took place. The answer is given below, but no peeking!

1. The United States launches its first satellite, Explorer I, into orbit—3 months after the Soviet Union had launched Sputnik—and creates the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

2. Charles de Gaulle comes out of retirement to lead France as prime minister, then is elected president.

3. To the dismay of his fans everywhere, Elvis Presley goes from king of rock and roll to Army private, but not before starring in the movie King Creole.

4. Music hits include At the Hop by Danny and the Juniors, Poor Little Fool by Ricky Nelson, Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry, Chantilly Lace by The Big Bopper and Catch a Falling Star by Perry Como.

5. Two highly popular movie musicals that produce best-selling soundtracks are Gigi and South Pacific.

For the answer to Time Capsule Trivia, click here.

A Thought to Remember

Living in the past has one thing in its favor…it’s cheaper.

top