I think one of the main things that sticks out, everyone worked, somewhere. Delco, NCR, a factory, a store, Warren Woggaman didn't work, he had polio, or something, unable to work, he stayed home. Everyone came home around five or so, cleaned up a bit, and sat on the porch, waiting for dinner. They did their grocery shopping on Saturday, went to church on Sunday, and listened to the radio at night.
During the Summer, they sat outside on the porch, radio playing, talking, to each other, and laughing at a joke on the radio. Bob Hope, or Jack Benny,, Red Skelton. They often had an evening favorite, and would head inside to listen to it. But, they talked a lot, over the back fence, out in the alley, but we knew a lot, about each other.
Almost everything closed at five in the afternoon in those days, everyone went home then, little to nothing was open on Sunday. The "front porch" was the entertainment center of the home. I have so many fond memories of just sitting and listening on someones front porch.
People worked, people talked, people ate. A vacation was a remarkable event, took a lot of planning, nothing "exotic" like we have today. A week in the mountains, or at a lake, fishing.
The biggest change, you ask. Television, for one. As a kid we played Hide and Seek and Tag, till way after dark. I once ate a Radish, on a dare, that I dipped in the dirt, and ate, I was a hero to my playmates, was I going to die from it, we were not sure, but, I lived.
I wore Buster Brown shoes, that we bought at a shoe store, down the street. We bought our groceries from Earl's. Mom shopped at Rikes and Elders, they had everything we needed. We took the bus downtown and back home. The old Brown Street Bus. Dad bought a new '39 Packard, traded in his Hudson. His office hours were 1 to 3 and 7 to 9, no appointment necessary. He had a nurse, and Mom did the books, for a while. His patients either lived nearby, or came to his office on a bus. One memorable one, a little boy had a "thundermug," a large pot, kept under the bed, for night time "emergencies" .... stuck on his head, he could not get it off. He and his Mom got on the Brown Street Bus and rode to the office ..... remember, this kid had a pot stuck on his head .... Dad took him back to the examining room, did a little checking, hit the pot with a hammer from the back, the pot broke, but only in two pieces. He and Mom left, got on the bus and went back home. Think of what that would have entailed today. You can see why medical costs are so high.Men working, television, Walmart and hospitals are probably three of the most obvious things that have changed. The hospital had beds and an operating room. Look at what they offer today, and at GREAT cost to you, not at NO CAUST TO YOU .... like the guy says in that one ad for a "mobile" wheelchair.
