The year was 1944 and there was a war on.
It was a Saturday afternoon about 4 p.m. in
the little town of Clovis, New Mexico. The
little kid (me) had worked all week, after school,
and on Saturday morning at the Magic Steam
Laundry, at 417 West Grand, doing what was
called by us laundry-men--- "checking in."
That term meant opening each bundle of dirty
laundry (some were icky) and routing each piece
to the proper washer load, according to color,
fabric, whether it could take scalding water and
bleach...and if it were a mechanic's greasy pants,
or a mortician's dress shirt...that type thing...
Dad was overwhelmed with the work load. Much
of it came from the air base and by Monday noon,
a sign went up out front, saying "NO MORE
LAUNDRY ACCEPTED THIS WEEK."
So there I was, a pretty sharp little fifth grade kid,
doing a man's work and helping Dad, for you see,
the next day's "RUN," had to be set, before the
doors closed at 6 p.m. He needed help.
The boiler was lit each morning at 6 a.m. (Believe-
you-me, people of those times believed in HOT
water.)
So about one p.m. each Saturday, Dad gave me
a genuine United States silver Walking Liberty
half dollar...fifty cents...the most beautiful coin
ever designed!
I made $7.50 a week and the other seven went
to Clovis National Bank ("pawdon me," I just
happened to be a kid "with prospects!") In those
days people saved money.
After all, times were hard and folks didn't make
much...or want much...or expect much. But for the
war, it could have been a grand time. There WERE
political parties, alright..but screwballs were few.
Anyway, I wanted to give you a flavor of those times
and that afternoon...
So the Lyceum had offered a bargain two movies
and a "serial," PLUS popcorn for fifteen cents.
The serial was"The Perils of Nyoka," a cliff-hanger story in
fifteen minute segments, set in Egypt, with the usual "mean
men," and Nyoka as a cute heroine out to thwart the perps.
The two 55 minute movies were a Tim Holt western
and a Charlie Chan mystery.
And with popcorn, my cost was a Mercury dime
and a Buffalo nickel.
Now the movie was over, and I headed for
Woolworth's to see about a snack. Kids were
hungry by four p.m.
So here's the deal he faced every Saturday
afternoon--- over there at "Wooly's," not in
the candy section---but in the needle and
thread section--- was the neatest little round
plastic showcase, about 18-20 inches tall,
filled with little shelves of four or five kinds
of salted, heated nuts.
The heat came from a light bulb, which kept
the nuts warm and lit them up attractively, as
the thing rotated. The aroma, coming mostly
from the cashews, drove little hungry kids crazy!
Here was the rub, and I know because I bought
the nuts only once...but I watched, as other kids
did. You got only six or eight nuts, it seemed in a
little party cup...FOR FIFTEEN CENTS.
It doesn't sound like much today, but it would
buy a hamburger, hot dog, movie and popcorn,
a malted milk, maybe a banana split. And I don't
know what all else.
It clearly wasn't the best bargain in town...and
kids back then could figure it out for themselves.
But there I was, standing, staring at, and
smelling those marvelous cashews!
Then, as I usually did, I turned, walked right over
to the chromey-silver deli counter and ordered
"the usual"--- that wonderful ham salad san on
toasted bread...for a mere twenty cents.
Unforgettable sandwich. You can still Google it,
even tho' it is on no menu at the moment. The
recipe is still "up," even thought there's no longer
a Woolworth's.
The ironic thing and what triggered this story
is that we received a giant jar of cashews for
Christmas, purchased at COSTCO, for about
$14.95, Excellent nuts...they would cost likely
$42.95 ordered. from a NUT company, 40 ounces.
Now and then we make the Woolworth's ham
salad. It's good on black rye.
************
Mil
January 1, 2017
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