Published: February 15, 2008 09:35 pm            

Going back in time again

Things have changed, haven’t they?

I like to go back in time to remember what and how it was to live in my time as a young child.

Life wasn’t hectic like it is now because, as a youngster, we hadn’t had to worry about paying bills and working all hours of the day or night. Life was one of adventure, and each day was a new one.

I remember the friends I had back then who still are my friends now. As soon as school was out and our chores done, we would all meet outside to decide what we were going to do and how much fun it was going to be doing it.

If it was warm, then we usually played softball. We had the parking lot of Globe American Factory to use whenever they weren’t working. And we had the lot that Dad planted our garden on if he hadn’t started the garden yet.

We had Dunbar Center to visit, where Mrs. Madrey would allow us to play gin rummy or rook or old maid. There were always good books to read, and she was always ready to read to us anytime. Some people can read to you and do it so well that you feel like you are right there in the book, too.

We could always play on the corner playing kick the can, but you had to watch for cars that would show up about every few minutes. We never got hurt doing these things, because our parents taught us to always be careful. You had to watch for those things you don’t see.

One of my favorite things to do was make a punching bag out of a paper sack filled with rags and tied at the top and hanging from a tree limb.

There were times when we would go “junking,” where we would look for metals to sell to the junkyard. We always used this method to get money to use when we went to the Saturday afternoon movies at the Fox, Wood, Colonial or Isis theaters. There we would enjoy our cowboys and Indians, like “The Lone Ranger,” Roy and Dale, Gene Autry, Gabby Hayes and many more great cowboys who rode off into the sunset for another week. If you had the extra money, there was popcorn and pop to enjoy while you watched the movie.

Kokomo was blessed with at least six movie houses back then. Or if the movie was over, you could just walk around the downtown area and just enjoy all the scenes in the store windows.

Needless to say, when you got home, you had a lot to talk about, and Mom was always there to listen. She and Dad always knew that we would behave ourselves when we were off somewhere away from their eyes, because they trained us that way.

One of the things I enjoyed the most was sitting there in the front room, while she played the piano. She could even carry a tune, and she could always tell the best stories. Many times our friends would sit on the porch with us and listen to her tell her stories, which sometimes were sort of scary. And you had to watch them as they went home until they were safely in the house and into their mother’s arms.

School work was very important in our parents’ eyes, and it was the first thing to do each school night. Then it was getting a supply of coal and wood built up so the house would stay warm all day and night.

We had a Florence Warm Morning Stove in the middle room and a cook stove in the kitchen. Our ice box was out on the back porch, and the ice man, who was just across the street, would always keep it filled with a large block of ice.

You didn’t have to worry about anyone stealing anything back then because neighbors were like family and they looked out for each other. That way of life has really changed with the times and, nowadays, you have to make sure your doors are locked.

Things and attitudes have changed, haven’t they? See you next week.

Ray “Uncle Ray” Day of Kokomo is a weekly contributor to the Kokomo Tribune. He can be reached by e-mail at arermdrd@netusa1.net or uncleray@skyenet.net.

        

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