CHAPTER 85n. 1959 - 1960
We packed a lot into that weekend as our boyhoods were closing out around us. Ronald and Ginny Mowrer joined me and Pamela Wilson at a sock hop at the Berwyn Roller Rink. Yes, as Sonja slipped further away from my grasp, Pam slipped back into it. Sonja’s friend Ginny, though, stayed with Ronald even if Sonja had pulled out of my life for the moment. They would be a duo with me for a number of dates going from now into the New Year.
I do not understand why Pamela kept coming back to me. She was a beautiful young woman who probably could have had her pick of a boyfriend. I enjoyed being around Pam, but it still made no sense. I wasn’t that nice either. I would drop her over and over when another girl came across my path. I had hooked up with her after Carmello was told not to date me, and then I set her aside for Suzy Cannell, or at best kept her on the side as needed. When Suzy flew off into the wild blue yonder with Jon, Pamela was there to fill any lonely spots. Sonja Kebbe splashed her attraction all over me and I chased after Sonja like a love-sick puppy, forgetting Pamela existed until Sonja found wider tracks riding the Reading Railroad, and then I hopped right back to Pamela.
I didn’t love Pam. I knew that. We would never become a permanent couple. Someone should have pulled Pam aside and said stay away from that cad, you can do much better. But there she was always coming alongside, snuggling close at dances, eating at my table, constantly ready to come to me at my beck and call.
On Saturday, Ronald Tipton plus George Bird, who after that particular car ride I had grown leery towards, joined with me and Dick Huzzard for a few frames of bowling. (Dick pictured right) was a
former classmate and was active in the MYF, as I still was. I had been on good terms with him, but never particularly close, yet just like I needed a replacement to slide in for Sonja, I needed someone to slide in and replace Richard Wilson. It was not that Richard and I had a falling out, just we were going in different directions. I was working full time now and he was still in high school. So I sort of traded one Richard for another.
Dick was typical of a lot of people living in that part of our county. He was a farm boy, had been in the Agriculture program, rather than Academic like yours truly. He was treasurer of the Future Farmers of America Chapter at OJR as well as a regular member and attendee at MYF. We became close buddies over the next few months. Oddly enough, or maybe not, I attempted to date his girlfriend future wife, Louise Dancy.
I had a crush on Louise in high school and on my new job I tried a gimmick to entice her to go out with me. I took a purchasing requisition form and filled it out ordering a date with her. It didn’t work.
The day after this dance spoken of earlier I was bowling with Ronald, George and Dick again. Dick was to become a pretty regular companion in 1960 for bowling and such activities, but I began December with another friend in the hospital. Harrison Tyson.
With the last month of the year my life was moving into a pattern designed by the job sitting at the center of it. My workdays were long, a dictate of living so far from the office and being depended on trains for my transportation.
In the evening I at least didn’t have a time to be home by, but that was a small luxury. I clocked out, literally, of Atlantic at 4:45 PM. It always took time to get an empty elevator car down from the 16th floor at quitting time. There were about eight cars in the bank, but like a zillion people all leaving at once. Those on the upper floor, 17 through 21, had the advantage and half the time when a bell would ding and a red light (for down) would snap on and the door would open, there wouldn’t be enough space to squeeze one person of a slender build into the mass before it whizzed on is way. One trick I employed was to jump in a car when a white light lit (for up), but others quickly caught on to that one. After this Whack-a-mole game with the elevators, it was usually close to 5:00 by the time I walked out the front doors to the sidewalk, followed by my reverse three-quarter of a mile walk to the Reading Terminal. I caught a 6:00 train back to Royersford. Trains did not run so often between Philadelphia and Reading, and all whistle-stops in between. I would be back home by 7:30 each work day evening and mom would have my supper ready.
I did get a lot of novel reading riding the Reading rails back and forth.
Traveling and job demanded better than half my day. If you could’ve looked at my schedule all you saw was work, work work work and work, and then my weekend would become a hot bed of whatever frantic activities I really wanted to indulge in.
Phoenixville hospital to visit that friend I mentioned. His name was Harrison Tyson, but everyone called him Buddy. He was another person that was part of the group I hung with at OJR. I don’t remember exactly why he was in the hospital anymore, but after the visit I drove to Downingtown to get Ronald.
That night I double-dated at some dance with Ronald and Ginny. It was a blind date for me. I was set up with one of Ronald’s cousins, albeit I long forgotten which one. It may have been Jeanette Pritchard, a girl sometimes dated.
We got hit with a snowstorm on the next Monday. My dad took me to the station and picked me up that night. The rest of the week was just good old work, except Friday was special. Friday I received my first paycheck, but of course I had to turn the entire proceeds over to Snelling & Snelling for their aid in landing me this job. You talk about the working poor; I was the working broke.
That Saturday I had to drive out to West Chester, about an hour drive when obeying the speed limits, which I had to because my grandmother was along, probably paying my bill. The reason for this trip was to see Dr. McClure, my eye doctor, for an exam and new prescription.
It must have been fun driving home after getting the exam. Back then the drops (expect a little stinging) they put into your eyes to dilate your pupils took a good while to return to normal. This left you seeing the world as a big blur. We all survived and that evening I attended a MYF Christmas Party with Dick Huzzard and Lane Keene. Sunday was a day of rest for me. Because after the Christmas Party there were no MYF meeting on Sunday.
Another week, another day to day of trains and work, then on Friday evening I took beautiful Pamela Wilson to the the Berwyn Dance. No other couple this time, just the two of us. Pam was a god dancer and she preferred the slow ones. She was nearly as tall as me and I liked her cheek against mine and the feel of her lower back in my hand. It never went any further than that. I don’t think I ever kissed her. I had kissed Suzy good night most of the time. I kissed Jeannette Siravo many times in the magic of Wildwood nights. Despite the bitten thumb, I had kissed Peggy after our dates and I certainly kissed Sonja many times, but I don’t remember ever kissing Pamela. My gal Friday, always dependable Pammy had become somehow a sister to me.
Saturday I picked up Ronald, then I picked up my new glasses in West Chester. Since I could see better now, we tested the peepers out by Ron and I going to Philadelphia and seeing the latest wide screen epic to come along for the season, “Ben Hur”
The next day I was sick. I took off from work and went to see our current family sawbones, Dr. Mann. We were still obliged to doctors in Downingtwon, but had left Doctors Parke and Neff behind. Dr. Mann said I had a bad virus, naughty little thing, and he prescribed some fowl tasting medicine to teach that virus a lesson. We also got four inches of snow, so I was glad not having to travel into Philly that Monday. I felt better on Tuesday, well enough I went back to work.
My mother came down sick with the virus on Wednesday. Oh, how merry, everybody getting ill for Christmas.
We had a party at work on the 24th, the first of a tradition of Christmas Eve office parties for me. I would have a long line of these affairs in the decades ahead. It was also the first of another tradition, being let out early for the holiday. I actually got home around 1:30 PM. There was none of this phony baloney with Happy Holidays. We were sent off with a hardy Merry Christmas. Come on, Christmas was the reason we had a party and Christmas was the reason we got off early and Christmas was the reason everybody was spending money at the department store so let’s not pretend there was any other reason for how we celebrated the season.
When I got home I went down to Ronald’s and drove him to Ginny’s so he could give her a present. Take note that I did not give a present to Pam, nor she to me. Once Ronald had performed this task and he was safely back home, I returned to my family for Christmas Eve. We opened our gifts at midnight, technically Christmas Day.
career, on a Friday. Although we had opened our gifts at midnight of the 24th, Christmas Day was still a hectic time. My Uncle Francy and Aunt Doris, Little Francy (my cousin) and some other boy came for the day and supper. I don’t know who the other boy was. Uncle Francy and Aunt Doris always seemed to have some stray kid with them or at their place. I also brought Ronald up home for the day, but he didn’t stay for dinner.
So see, this was the nature of Christmas Day, too full of activity and tension and doing. It falling on Friday was always wonderful because it meant you had the rest of the weekend to just kick back, relax and enjoy what you received. Boxing Day is the traditional day after Christmas when the rich give presents to the poor to sooth their souls. This was rehab day for me.
There was no MYF again that Sunday due to a heavy fog. Despite the fog I did go get Ronald and we went bowling. The fog was very thick as I headed home but this time I didn’t get lost.
Mom was well enough to go back to work on Monday and I certainly was. A friend of the family named Joe Hill died that day (left is Joseph Hill in 1937.). Someone always seems to die just after Christmas. I think they hang on through the holiday to allow the day to be enjoyed and then they just let go.
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