The following is the ninth installment of a series of vignettes by Georgia (Joey) A. Munson Hadfield recounting her stay in El Dorado in 1932.
I don’t know who got the short end of the stick, but I think it was a “wash.”
Our relatives from the West Coast motored to El Dorado for a grand reunion. Uncle Arthur and Lonnie (whom you have met) and Uncle Elmer and Aunt Mary from Bremerton were our long distance celebrants. Uncle Wilbur came in from the farm in his vintage automobile that caused his brothers to razz him unmercifully. He had fabricated his ugly dull black coupe into a flat bed truck. The car/truck, on her last legs, took all of Uncle Wilbur’s guile and patience to crank into life. Once the motor “caught” he would jump in and drive away, the vehicle backfiring, shimmying, and belching blue smoke, the brothers in a state!
In the few days visit, a lot of food was enjoyed, jokes told, and stories exchanged. The four brothers continually picked on their sister, as they must have while growing up, but she could give as much or more than she took. No one wanted to break up the fun, but good byes had to be said and promises were made, “We’ll do this every year!”
My Daddy could do anything! Well, except find me a Red Texaco Fireman’s Hat with the medallion blazoned on the front. The come-on by Texaco was: “Buy ten gallons of gasoline and the kid gets a free hat.” On our Sunday drives Daddy varied our routes looking for a Texaco gas station that was open until reality set in: all stations closed on the Sabbath. Oh, I wanted this splendid headgear as I could see myself wearing it proudly as Pops and I pushed the buggy around the block. I would wear long pants and a shirt with my official hat, carefully inspecting each house for any sign of fire! You don’t get everything you want! Daddy got an “A” for effort as he continued to try to find the hat during the week but he flunked! My parents placated me by surmising that Texaco had somehow missed shipping the hats to Butler County. Blackguards!
MaMa and Aunt Inez became entrepreneurs. After a great deal of research, they consigned for a manufacturer of knitwear. When the inventory came in and was carefully checked, they sent out invitations to their friends to attend an extravaganza that included viewing and trying-on the “beautiful and becoming” dresses, coats and ensembles while enjoying tea and cookies with their neighbors. Who could resist? The partners had written in allotted times on each invitation making the guests feel special while allowing the “sales ladies” to offer individual attention. The clothing was artfully displayed in the living room, with the dining room acting as the “try-on” area. The ladies flocked to the house (at their proper time) drank their tea, ate their cookies, gossiped happily and BOUGHT! The three-day event proved a huge success. (My matriarchal Gramma, decked out in her formal black and jet beads, sat in her rocker in the “salon,” chatting with the ladies and adroitly letting them know her parlor was an exclusive place and they were lucky to have been invited!) MaMa and Aunt Inez should have given each other high fives!
THE ELEVEN COMMANDMENTS
Gospel by Daddy and Mama
#1. Thou shalt obey thy parents.
#2. Thou shalt be seen and not heard.
#3. Thou shalt never, ever talk back.
#4. Thou shalt honor and esteem thy adults.
#5 Thou shalt refer to thy adults as MaMa, Daddy, Gramma. Grampa, Uncle, Aunt, Cousin, Mr., Mrs. or Miss, but never by their given name.
#6 Thou shalt not slam thy doors.
#7 Thou shalt not run in the thy house, particularly on thy stairs.
#8 Thou shalt entertain thy little friends with quiet games thou likest.
#9 Thou shalt observe thy table manners with thy left hand in thy lap.
#10 Thou shalt speak in a well modulated voice, any yelling by the might cause soreness to they rear end.#11 Thou shalt have a cheerful look upon thy face. Pouting makes thy face ugly and thy onlookers shall avoid thee.
|
|
|
The following is the ninth installment of a series of vignettes by Georgia (Joey) A. Munson Hadfield recounting her stay in El Dorado in 1932.
I don’t know who got the short end of the stick, but I think it was a “wash.”
Our relatives from the West Coast motored to El Dorado for a grand reunion. Uncle Arthur and Lonnie (whom you have met) and Uncle Elmer and Aunt Mary from Bremerton were our long distance celebrants. Uncle Wilbur came in from the farm in his vintage automobile that caused his brothers to razz him unmercifully. He had fabricated his ugly dull black coupe into a flat bed truck. The car/truck, on her last legs, took all of Uncle Wilbur’s guile and patience to crank into life. Once the motor “caught” he would jump in and drive away, the vehicle backfiring, shimmying, and belching blue smoke, the brothers in a state!
In the few days visit, a lot of food was enjoyed, jokes told, and stories exchanged. The four brothers continually picked on their sister, as they must have while growing up, but she could give as much or more than she took. No one wanted to break up the fun, but good byes had to be said and promises were made, “We’ll do this every year!”
My Daddy could do anything! Well, except find me a Red Texaco Fireman’s Hat with the medallion blazoned on the front. The come-on by Texaco was: “Buy ten gallons of gasoline and the kid gets a free hat.” On our Sunday drives Daddy varied our routes looking for a Texaco gas station that was open until reality set in: all stations closed on the Sabbath. Oh, I wanted this splendid headgear as I could see myself wearing it proudly as Pops and I pushed the buggy around the block. I would wear long pants and a shirt with my official hat, carefully inspecting each house for any sign of fire! You don’t get everything you want! Daddy got an “A” for effort as he continued to try to find the hat during the week but he flunked! My parents placated me by surmising that Texaco had somehow missed shipping the hats to Butler County. Blackguards!
MaMa and Aunt Inez became entrepreneurs. After a great deal of research, they consigned for a manufacturer of knitwear. When the inventory came in and was carefully checked, they sent out invitations to their friends to attend an extravaganza that included viewing and trying-on the “beautiful and becoming” dresses, coats and ensembles while enjoying tea and cookies with their neighbors. Who could resist? The partners had written in allotted times on each invitation making the guests feel special while allowing the “sales ladies” to offer individual attention. The clothing was artfully displayed in the living room, with the dining room acting as the “try-on” area. The ladies flocked to the house (at their proper time) drank their tea, ate their cookies, gossiped happily and BOUGHT! The three-day event proved a huge success. (My matriarchal Gramma, decked out in her formal black and jet beads, sat in her rocker in the “salon,” chatting with the ladies and adroitly letting them know her parlor was an exclusive place and they were lucky to have been invited!) MaMa and Aunt Inez should have given each other high fives!
THE ELEVEN COMMANDMENTS
Gospel by Daddy and Mama
#1. Thou shalt obey thy parents.
#2. Thou shalt be seen and not heard.
#3. Thou shalt never, ever talk back.
#4. Thou shalt honor and esteem thy adults.
#5 Thou shalt refer to thy adults as MaMa, Daddy, Gramma. Grampa, Uncle, Aunt, Cousin, Mr., Mrs. or Miss, but never by their given name.
#6 Thou shalt not slam thy doors.
#7 Thou shalt not run in the thy house, particularly on thy stairs.
#8 Thou shalt entertain thy little friends with quiet games thou likest.
#9 Thou shalt observe thy table manners with thy left hand in thy lap.
#10 Thou shalt speak in a well modulated voice, any yelling by the might cause soreness to they rear end.#11 Thou shalt have a cheerful look upon thy face. Pouting makes thy face ugly and thy onlookers shall avoid thee.
