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