money. Later, I removed the candy from where mother had stored it and shared the contraband with neighborhood friends and a guilty conscience. I had a sense of only partial punishment for that incident.
Frequently, family members would visit with us or vice versa on a weekend day to join together for dinner and conversation. During these visits, a beverage was offered prior to the dinner with no snacks or hors d’oeuvres served because it was believed at that time, by most people, that snacking prior to a meal would “spoil ones appetite”. By the middle of the 1960’s, celery, carrot sticks, and olives were offered by most, in addition to a beverage that was served prior to a meal. At the end of this decade, cheese and crackers were offered in addition to the above. This concept has progressed throughout the decades to include a “smorgasbord” of hors d’oeuvres served prior to a meal by 2013.
In the summer of the year, early one weekend morning, I awoke mother and father asking for breakfast. They told me it was too early and that I should return to bed. I countered with a threat to drive to the favorite department store for breakfast. Mother remarked that I should “go ahead” as father and she were not arising from bed. Believing this to be real permission granted, I left the house and entered the car parked on the top of our hilly driveway. I put the clutch in neutral and released the emergency brake as I had seen my parent’s do many times. The car began to slowly move down the driveway. Panicking, I jumped out of the moving car to an area on the side of our driveway. From there I watched the car cross the street between fences on either side of the driveway and come to a stop on the neighbor’s lawn, just several feet from their house. A short time later, I heard father’s anxious call. After a few moments of hesitation and thinking perhaps of indefinitely hiding, I answered his call. A considerable spanking ensued with a punishment of confinement to the property for a lengthy time.
Retrospective: Based on a particular area of residence, many children were free to navigate their neighborhood and engage in play with other children. Speeding cars and pedophiles were not a thought or consideration to most people. All people drove slowly through neighborhoods, were better educated in morality, and at minimum, publicity was not given to immoral deviates, if they did exist. Youngsters planned most all their own activities and games. Television, somewhat influenced these choices of games played. The physical appearance of girls began to change as many girls wore pants for play and kept their hair cut short. Shopping trips to purchase household items and clothing were much less frequent than today. Many people listed items needed and saved that list for the designated “shopping day”. Credit cards were not available which eliminated much impulse shopping with sometimes the accompanying debt. It appears as though people have become more gluttonous throughout the past fifty years as exemplified by the incremental additions and then the over abundance of foods served prior to a meal. Most young children do not understand sarcasm and believe what is told to them in a literal way.
Historical Accounts 1961: 10
The United States invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs begins and ends in defeat two days later on April 19.