Childhood Memories
Mar 24, 2024 17:17:16 #
Childhood Memories
Commander’s post of Cracker Jack and his dog, Bingo have brought back memories of mine when I was probably three years old, and possibly younger. These memories were from when we lived in West Texas, between Whiteface and Levelland.
I was between three or not quite four, but loved to go to town and I was especially fond of roasted Spanish peanuts. These were often sold in little round cylinders. They would almost be like punchboard ‘gimmick’s with claims that there would be a quarter in one random box, a dime in another and a nickel in a third.
Well, if you ever saw the movie, “The Flim Flam Man” you would already know these were quickly removed by either the store manager, or the individual who sold the package to the store manager. Same with punch boards! I didn’t care and never thought twice about winning change in with my peanuts. I just wanted the peanuts and never cared about trying to win. I even suspected the store owner manage or a clerk would have weighed all the boxes and removed any that were heavier and might contain a coin.
I also remember that we had a corral for our cattle that was made from high piles of cut mesquite trees. The only man-made item was the gate!
Also, one time dad allowed me to go along to take a full trailer of cotton to the gin. I was a small tike and was standing in the back seat. I saw suddenly the trailer tongue came disconnected from the car and the trailer vaulted over the tongue and kept rolling. I yelled out the cotton trailer had come lose and was afraid it would turn over. I never made it to the gin on this trip because I probably fell asleep due to the time it too to repair the trailer.
In those days, cars were late 1920’s and early 1930’s vintage. Big black Fords and the like. I don’t remember what we had but I could lie down behind the back seat and take a nap. There was also a shade I could pull down to block the sunlight. A lot of those cars had a glass gauge and thermometer on top of the radiator to tell the driver if the engine was getting to hot.
We had a group of Mexican families living on this farm to help with harvesting the cotton. My mother that winter tried to give some of my clothes to the mother of Spanish children. The Spanish mother thought my mother was trying to sell the clothes and kept saying in Spanish she had no money. My mother could not convey that we were trying to give her the clothes.
Dad had an irrigation pond on the property and one day I was walking around the dike that impounded the water. It was wintertime and I had on a winter coat and cap. Along the way, I slipped and fell into the water about up to my waist. I was clinging onto the bank, afraid I was going to slide all the way into the pond. I was yelling ‘bloody murder’ for someone to help me. Finally, my uncle Claude heard me and came and pulled me out! Just Sayin…RJS
Commander’s post of Cracker Jack and his dog, Bingo have brought back memories of mine when I was probably three years old, and possibly younger. These memories were from when we lived in West Texas, between Whiteface and Levelland.
I was between three or not quite four, but loved to go to town and I was especially fond of roasted Spanish peanuts. These were often sold in little round cylinders. They would almost be like punchboard ‘gimmick’s with claims that there would be a quarter in one random box, a dime in another and a nickel in a third.
Well, if you ever saw the movie, “The Flim Flam Man” you would already know these were quickly removed by either the store manager, or the individual who sold the package to the store manager. Same with punch boards! I didn’t care and never thought twice about winning change in with my peanuts. I just wanted the peanuts and never cared about trying to win. I even suspected the store owner manage or a clerk would have weighed all the boxes and removed any that were heavier and might contain a coin.
I also remember that we had a corral for our cattle that was made from high piles of cut mesquite trees. The only man-made item was the gate!
Also, one time dad allowed me to go along to take a full trailer of cotton to the gin. I was a small tike and was standing in the back seat. I saw suddenly the trailer tongue came disconnected from the car and the trailer vaulted over the tongue and kept rolling. I yelled out the cotton trailer had come lose and was afraid it would turn over. I never made it to the gin on this trip because I probably fell asleep due to the time it too to repair the trailer.
In those days, cars were late 1920’s and early 1930’s vintage. Big black Fords and the like. I don’t remember what we had but I could lie down behind the back seat and take a nap. There was also a shade I could pull down to block the sunlight. A lot of those cars had a glass gauge and thermometer on top of the radiator to tell the driver if the engine was getting to hot.
We had a group of Mexican families living on this farm to help with harvesting the cotton. My mother that winter tried to give some of my clothes to the mother of Spanish children. The Spanish mother thought my mother was trying to sell the clothes and kept saying in Spanish she had no money. My mother could not convey that we were trying to give her the clothes.
Dad had an irrigation pond on the property and one day I was walking around the dike that impounded the water. It was wintertime and I had on a winter coat and cap. Along the way, I slipped and fell into the water about up to my waist. I was clinging onto the bank, afraid I was going to slide all the way into the pond. I was yelling ‘bloody murder’ for someone to help me. Finally, my uncle Claude heard me and came and pulled me out! Just Sayin…RJS
Mar 25, 2024 08:31:56 #
kandydisbar
Loc: West Orange, NJ
I can understand why you would remember such happenings. The way you tell it , I was right there!!
Funny how our memories work.
Funny how our memories work.
Mar 25, 2024 09:35:48 #
hueey
Loc: Lake Fork Tx
Amazing memory there Mr Samples.
As a kid during a break (1 per day) or after we finished picking the hay bales out of the field and stacked in the barn, it was time for a dip in the farm pond.
Very refreshing fresh very cold water from the windmill or sub pump well
As a kid during a break (1 per day) or after we finished picking the hay bales out of the field and stacked in the barn, it was time for a dip in the farm pond.
Very refreshing fresh very cold water from the windmill or sub pump well
Mar 25, 2024 12:04:25 #
Well, seems one can remember long-ago events better if they were painful. I read once that some African tribes would have a 'coming of age' ceremony for the boys, where certain secrets were divulged, and were expected to remain in these boys memory due to the painful iniation, long after their elders had died. Just Sayin...RJS
Mar 25, 2024 13:50:59 #
Possum2
Loc: South Mississippi
I remember those little cans of peanuts.They were about the same size as my grandma's stuff can.
Mar 25, 2024 17:06:28 #
RIVERBOTTOM
Loc: south east texas
Mr Samples I also remember those peanuts. they were very good, No money for me also. We had a 1932 model
a and when it was raining and the wipers were going , if dad accelerated the wipers would stop. Something to do with vacuum.
a and when it was raining and the wipers were going , if dad accelerated the wipers would stop. Something to do with vacuum.
Mar 25, 2024 17:10:40 #
Yep, there were times when we had a car, then other times when we didn't! Just because the press said the depression was over, didn't mean it was over for everyone! Just Sayin...RJS
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