I can't tell you how many times I heard my father say that -- "Cars are murder weapons." It wasn't that he wouldn't ride in one, he just would never own one or drive one. He rode a bike a lot when I was growing up, he never drove a car -- at least in my lifetime. He told me that he drove a car when he was younger.
Anyway, I was thinking about cars since we had to get a new one. The process of buy a car is as complicated as buying a house any more. I lost count of the number of times I signed my name on the documents that were pushed in front of me, and while I tried to read each one so I didn't sign something that made the cost higher than it was, or something that said that repossession would occur within 60 days if I didn't wash the car, or something wierd like that, I finally ran out of reading steam and just pray I didn't sign something I shouldn't have.
I know you're all wondering how did we get places when we were growing up. Well Runnemede was pretty much self-contained. We didn't NEED to go any place else to buy food, clothes, toys, cars, etc. But if we did need to go out of town there was the bus-line (one block away) and there was a bicycle, and there were feet.
I used to walk into Haddenfield in the summertime to go swimming. There was a huge community pool in Haddenfield, it was four miles one way, and I'd walk over there at least once a week.
I started going into Philadelphia via bus when I was 10 or so, by myself. It was a lot safer back then. The day after the day after Christmas I'd take my Christmas money and go shopping -- I usually bought one nice school outfit and a pair of shoes, and if it was a "rich" Christmas, a purse to go with all that. You need to know that really nice dresses cost $3, shoes were usually $2.99 a pair, and blouses and skirts were similarly prices. So, I could get a skirt, blouse, sweater, shoes, and bag for under $15.
I know dad would "impose" on kind folks to take him places as he got older. And my dear Uncles (Joe and Joe) would take us fun places, like the shore, or pick us up and take us into their neighborhoods, a treat for us just to go to a new environment.
I remember one time when I was 8 or 9, an opportunity arose and a lady in the church was selling her car for $100. It was in good shape, according to Mr. Fisher -- an auto mechanic who was a member of our church -- and a very good buy. Mom really wanted the car. We children wanted the car, but daddy? Nah. He thought about it for a week, and finally decided against getting that car.
After that episode, I think mom gave up on "encouraging" daddy to get a car, and we just relied on the goodness of folks to take us places.
Thanks to: Uncle El (Wentzell); Uncle Bill (Manduka); Mrs. Kenders; and Mr. Lentz for schlepping us kids to camp, Youth-a-rama, and Christian skate. What a blessing you were to us.
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I am the oldest granddaughter of the family. Ugh I can't believe I'll be 40 next year. Does anyone remember Gpop loved Lorna Doone cookies? Starting at age 19 or 20 (Gmom had moved on a few years before I think?), I would go to church with Gpop every Christmas Eve at 11:00 pm across the street to the Lutheran church. The only time I went to church I must say. Since Gpop moved on, I went on my own once and couldn't bear it without him. I haven't been back since. Anywho, after church we'd come back and have tea and cookies. We used to meet for dinner on Thursdays and Saturdays as best as I could. I wish I had this time with grandmom. After dinner on Saturdays, we'd go back to the house and I'd sit in Gmom's rocking chair, he'd sit in his chair and we'd fall asleep to either golf or baseball. We'd watch cooking shows too - I think it was PBS - he didn't have cable and I think it was pre-Food TV network that we have today. I remember one day we hit a tennis ball back and forth at the school across the street. Crazy - he was way too old for that but he wanted to do it. Looking back now I should have never let him. I was in my 20s without a clue of course. Sometimes I'd go over and I'd watch TV while he was studying at the dining room table listening to classical music. Loved it. I love classical music because of him. Of course everyone knows gpop always had 20 billion pens, staplers, scissors, markers, tablets- you name it. Resident Staples at your service. I also believe I recall a bunch of wind up type clocks in his bedroom. It was like a clock store. tick tock.. tick tock. He always wore a navy blue sport coat (he had quite a few of these), a tie and a sophisticated hat and had great black shoes. He had a few pairs of these as well. Do we have any pictures with him and the hat? He was such a smart man. I believe he could read Hebrew? Italian? He had beautiful handwriting as well. I can't write at all. I strictly rely on the keyboard. He was so nice to me - He bought me a table and chairs for my first apartment. Let's not forget about the rotary dial phone. How frustrated I was on numerous occasions when I messed up the number I was dialing. Too funny. I lived there for one year and worried the poor man just coming and going at times and sometimes getting in at 2:00 am from being out with my girlie friends. Again in my 20s - clueless.
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