| Growing up in a small town had it's ups and | | | | it wasn't thought of then, or they just |
| downs. But oh, how I miss it.The town was | | | | didn't have enough room for them. It was a |
| small, so small that you knew everyone who | | | | great school. We had recess in the morning |
| lived there. It was nice cause we had our | | | | and afternoon and walked home for lunch. |
| own little community.There were no major | | | | Which kids don't do now a days. We had one |
| stores there. Only a small store that you | | | | teacher for two grades. So you really got to |
| could buy bread and milk, that is, if you | | | | know her. It was a sad time when they closed |
| were there early in the morning, candy, pop, | | | | the school, and scary to ride a school bus to |
| and small things like that. They also had | | | | school. And no more going home at |
| the old soda fountain with the bar that you | | | | lunchtime.We had a lot of neighbors who put |
| could sit at and drink your pop. Something | | | | in big gardens and sell their produce. I |
| you don't see very often now a days. In the | | | | remember going down to one guys house and |
| summer you could buy tomatoes, potatoes and | | | | buying tomatoes. I would tell him I need |
| corn on the cob fresh from the garden. They | | | | fifty cents worth of tomatoes. I would be |
| did have some small stuff for the house but | | | | carrying a large bag of tomatoes home. What |
| not much. We use to love to go up there with | | | | we pay five dollars for today would probably |
| our pennies. You could buy candy back then, | | | | cost us thirty cents back then. I don't know |
| 2 for a penny. And the bubble gum machine | | | | if everyone got that many or if he was just |
| that had the specks on certain gum balls. If | | | | being generous cause there were so many in |
| you got that, you got ten cents worth of | | | | our family and fifty cents worth wasn't |
| candy free. Oh the pennies I would put in | | | | many. He sure did give us a lot. Corn on the |
| that machine. I thought that was great. Gum | | | | cob.....I would buy a dozen and he would |
| and free candy on top of that. Remember when | | | | always throw in some extra. What a |
| you could buy a candy bar, and I am talking | | | | guy.Everyone looked out for everyone back |
| one bigger than you buy now and it was only | | | | then. Now a days no one wants to get |
| five cents. A pack of cigarettes was thirty | | | | involved. Oh and did I mention getting in |
| two cents. Well the owners of the store | | | | trouble. You think no one sees you until you |
| retired. Which, when I was growing up I | | | | get back home. Like the time I was on my way |
| thought they should have been retired many | | | | to a friends house and walked down the middle |
| years before that. Their kids didn't want | | | | of the train tracks. Wow did I get my butt |
| to continue to run the store, they wanted to | | | | warmed up when I got back home. That was a |
| go to the city to live.We also had a | | | | no no. Trains ran pretty fast back then.And |
| post-office that was in the front room of a | | | | the time I was caught smoking walking up the |
| lady's house. We would go in there and look | | | | road. There were eyes everywhere, even if |
| in the glass window and see if there was | | | | you couldn't see them. I remember the time |
| anything in our box. I use to get mad when | | | | my sister and I would buy a pack of |
| they would tell me what was in my mailbox | | | | cigarettes. At the time I had a pack and she |
| before she would even give it to me. Like I | | | | didn't. She wanted some and I wouldn't give |
| said everybody knew everybody and knew | | | | any to her. Well, I was out walking and lit |
| everyone's business. If you wanted to know | | | | up a cigarette, bang, lit another one, bang, |
| anything, just go to the post office. You | | | | the little brat loaded half of my pack with |
| found out what was going on in your town | | | | the cigarette loads. Talk about mad. But |
| without even asking.Then we had the old | | | | who could I tell. I wasn't suppose to be |
| school house. I only went there for first, | | | | smoking, I was only about 13 or 14 at the |
| second and third grade. The building was | | | | time. But sooner or later I did get even with |
| getting bad and they decided to bus us out of | | | | her. I could never find her cigarettes to |
| town. The school only had four very large | | | | get even. Here years later I found a hard |
| room, with a cloak room between the rooms. | | | | back book in the closet, opened it and in the |
| Two rooms were on the first floor and two | | | | middle of the pages, she cut out a hole as |
| rooms upstairs. First and second grade was | | | | big as a pack of cigarettes. What a smart |
| in one room......Right side first grade and | | | | idea. Of course, mom didn't find it until |
| left side second grade. Second room had third | | | | she was grown and on her own.I could go on |
| and fourth grade and upstairs was fifth and | | | | and on about living in the little country |
| sixth in one room and seventh and eighth in | | | | town but I am running out of steam.. If you |
| the other. The other grades were bused out. | | | | ever lived in a small country town when you |
| Each room was heated with a pot belly stove. | | | | were growing up then you can probably relate |
| Reminds me of the old cowboy movies. Back | | | | to this, if not then you don't know what you |
| then, they didn't have kindergarten, either | | | | have missed. |