THE LAST GREEN STAMP GLASS

FROM THE LAST GREEN STAMP STORE
****************************

It's probably not wholly true, but I like to think 

of that neat little Green Stamp Store at the 

corner of Main and Sixth, in Clovis, as "THE

LAST GREEN STAMP STORE."

(It is certainly the last one I  remember,  in

my whole life. Fawnette's mom ran it.)

You know, "the last one"---like "The Last Picture

Show," "The Last Frontier," "The Last Alaskans,"

and "The Last Homestead...."

And it is true, I think, that we own the "last Green

Stamp iced- tea glass."

It is splendidly golden, so apropos, and has handy

"grooves" to keep it from slipping. Things were well

crafted in those days---"Made in the USA."

Ah, you young 'uns out there, under sixty-five---you

are saying: "I don't remember  nuthin' about no

so-called Green Stamp stores. What were they?"

Well sir, you kids pull up some chairs and Ole

avuncular Uncle Mil will tell you a heart-warming,

quaint, and unforgettable story."

Once upon a time, in  good old Clovis, N.M. USA

and many American towns, I suppose, there were

"Green Stamp Stores." It was back in the time

when movies and popcorn were each 10 cents,

a three-dip ice cream cone was 15 cents, and a 

hamburger with a pickle slice, was 20 cents.

Miraculously then, there were grocery stores that gave

out "green stamps" to ladies buying groceries. They

saved them and went to the GS stores and traded

them for I don't know whatall---household-type  stuff.

Just about everyone did it...it was very popular. You

see, money was not quite as plentiful as it is today ---

for a lot of people. You got one green stamp for every

10 cents worth of groceries you bought.

My dear mama herself collected stamps and had a 

whole kitchen drawer full-to-overflowing, and she often

grabbed me if I was loafing and had me fill up her

stamp books for her, with all those loose stamps.

You didn't lick those things---she gave me a little

white Corning bowl half-full of water and and a ragged

"warsh rag" to do it; then she'd rubber-band the books,

and hide 'em away from any thieves or perps.

Stay with me now, you sixty-five year old "kids," for

my story now gets good. It's about LOVE.  

When BE and I "got married" on that wonderful, happy

day, 59 1/2 tears ago, my generous mama got into her

secret stash of S and H Green Stamp books, and gave 

us a bunch of 'em. I'll swanny, she really helped us out!

We went straight down to the S and H Store, at Sixth and

Main and picked out a hamburger charcoal grill, which

I assembled. It wasn't no Weber, but it must've cooked

a thousand burgers in its life, 'til the bottom fell out.

We also got a cotton Indian-design blanket, kind of

green and red, and really all-colored---which became 

our lifetime "picnic blanket." After years of picnics,

over-turned Coca Colas and Pepsis, and a few squashed

deviled eggs, and many washings, it is faded, has holes,

and is ragged....but it is highly revered at our house.

Then we got a set of golden iced tea glasses (the 

subject of this story) from the Clovis Green Stamp Store!

Oh, the gallons of iced tea that were consumed

from those beloved glasses!

But, as happens to all things of Earth, the years have 

taken their toll---over 59 plus years the six glasses have 

dwindled to ONE--- "The Last Green Stamp Glass!"

Turns out that B.E. is very partial to this glass and uses

it all the time. I find it on the edge of cabinet tops.

precarious-like. One day I said: "I'm afraid you're a'gonna

break it an' we won't have anything left from 59 1/2 years

ago."

And then she totally melted my heart, when she replied:

"Except the greatest love story in the world!" She's right,

the things that really matter are not of this Earth."

Green Stamps are no more now...except a fond memory

for many of us. But they were a small--yet BIG---part of

our lives, in a way.

It does make us feel proud to know---we own what may

well be---The Last Green Stamp Iced Tea Glass!

(Epilogue: In old Clovis, In the 40's and 50's, Wednesday

may have been the most-anticipated day of the week.

Oh yes, it was Prayer Meeting Day in the churches, and 

that was so important....

But maybe the REAL BIGGIE (as most of the women

would tell you)---- IT WAS DOUBLE-GREEN-STAMP-

DAY at the grocery store!

******************

BY MIL

JULY 11. 2016