When Life was Simple 1940's: 1950's

By R H

A happy family story of what life was like growing up during the 1940’s and 1950’s and all the adventures that ensue. It follows the life and adventures of free spirited Ron from two years old to nineteen, when he enters the military service. Life was simple then and without the complexities of today’s society. The story begins when he takes his red wagon and runs away from home. Later his family moves to Point Place, Ohio and he begins many adventures playing in the Maumee Bay of Lake Erie. It is the war years and sometimes his imagination surpasses reality. He becomes friends with others and playing games and fishing becomes his life. Then he discovers basketball and girls! He experiences the best day ever in his life when his friend and he encounter the sultriest woman on earth during the collections on the paper route. Relive the adventures and memories of old time Christmas, amusement parks, fourth of July, candy trees, coal engine trains, first love, BB Gun’s, early TV, fireworks, vacation in the mountains, war years, movies, Grandmas house, schools, and even soda fountains and five and dime stores.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R H
• Release date: Dec 12, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301016990

R H

One Hunt is an old family name that I am proud of and it goes back many years. Catherine (my Lone Walker and my wife) and I live in our mystical log cabin on the top of a fog enshrouded mountain with our animals and live in solitude, peace and harmony with nature. We know that we are soul mates and spirits from the past. We will be together again in the future just as we have been before. With this story we hope that we have brought the same love into your life as we have in ours.

Book preview

WHEN LIFE WAS SIMPLE

1940's-1950's

Ron Hanifan

Copyright © 2012 by Ron Hanifan

Smashwords Edition

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To Catherine and Pat

This book is dedicated to my wife Catherine, my true love and my beloved sister Pat. Pat watched over me in my younger years and I thank her. She is a part of this book just as much as I am. Even though we are separated by distance, I will always love her and I miss her.

Catherine inspired me to write this book. We share all the same thoughts and ambitions. She always wanted to live in a log cabin, in the middle of a forest on a mountain top in Tennessee, as did I. Catherine is my Lone Walker and I am her One Hunt from past lives.

CONTENTS

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

PROLOGUE

A few Random Thoughts

of the 1940’s and 1950’s

This story is about my growing up in Point Place, which is a part of Toledo, in North West Ohio. Point Place is on the bay of Lake Erie and it is created by the Maumee River. My life there probably did not differ much from other places in the United States. I wished that I would have realized what a great life I had when I was young, and maybe I would have appreciated it more. How fortunate I was to have lived at such a wonderful place and at a time of national pride. Life was simple and happy for me, even though it was war time.

Most of my earlier years were during the wars, and the patriotism exhibited by people may never be seen again. Times were simple then and there was a national pride that is lacking today. Most people willingly served in the military to defend the country.

Many of my views may be because I was unaware of circumstances, my age, and location or because I always saw things as beautiful and in happy colors. Life to me has always been a choice. You can see everything in black and white or in happy colors, and I prefer happy colors.

The sequence of events may not be exactly correct, but I tried to be as correct as is my recollection. If any of my recollections are incorrect, then I apologize.

Back then, life was simpler without the complexities of today’s society that is tied completely to insurance companies, electronics and credit cards. We were not afraid to leave the house without being completely in contact with everyone we know. One could walk to the store, Movie Theater, or soda fountain and the prices were not out of reach. Health care was affordable and it did not take so much of your paycheck, whereas today it is a decision between healthcare or food on the table. We weren’t obsessed with health and fitness and we enjoyed life to the fullest. Doctors and CEO’s did not think that they all had to be millionaires and billionaires and drug companies did not price their products outrageously. Health insurance was not common and I don’t know for sure how it ever got started and became a necessity. I am sure that greed and medical lobbyist played a large part of it. You could afford to go to a doctor without health insurance and pay cash. Doctor’s offices and staff were simple, and their place of practice was not a conglomerate in an extravagant atmosphere. People retired at 65 and were not forced to work into their 70’s and 80’s to pay for health care.

Political correctness was not a part of our life and we weren’t afraid to call things as we saw them. We didn’t use words to disguise an affliction or dissimilarity. If you were stupid or deaf that is what you were called. I am deaf, and I prefer that term instead of hearing impaired. Today, people are fixated about offending others and back then we weren’t constrained by these phobias. Families survived rather well on a single income and women were proud of raising a family, and the times did not necessitate them to work. We did not concern ourselves with offending others at Christmas time and when you sent a Christmas card it actually said, Merry Christmas and not Happy Holidays. When did that start?

These were the war years and we called our enemies as they were known to us. If the terms used herein offend you, then I apologize and I am sorry for you. Our words back then may not have been acceptable in today’s world, but we were not overly concerned about words being offensive or politically incorrect. Being offended is a choice! People allowed others to live their lives and did not impose their morals onto others. Smoke them if you got them, was commonly heard and people were not forced to hide from others to have a cigarette. We were proud of our country and we all spoke English the best that we could. If you made anti-American comments you would probably get a fat lip. Politicians and lawyers were thought to be corrupt back then and today there appears to be no change in that opinion. Doctors were thought to be honorable, however, today that opinion has not been sustained. Many times we made legal agreements simply with the shake of the hand without lawyers being present and their multitudes of paperwork. Your word was your honor and you always stood behind it.

Our usage of electronics was confined to radios, record players and later on televisions. Our telephones were telephones and our life was not bound to them. The only passwords we had were for getting into our playhouse. We played outside and did not use electronic gadgets. We usually stayed outside playing until the street lights came on. Maybe we were naive then, but I don’t remember us being concerned with perverts, predators and bullies. When confronted by them, we knew how to deal with the situation, but now the lawyers are involved in all aspects of these situations.

People did not feel the need to announce their sexuality. Either you liked the opposite sex or you didn’t. You didn’t run around telling everyone of your choice or put bumper stickers on your car announcing that fact. The entertainment industry did not try and force interracial and gay relationships on us or how they thought society should be structured. Movie heroes and presidents were famous because of their actions and good reputations, not because of their sexual exploits, crimes, drugs and profanities. Then again, maybe I just don’t remember correctly because of my age, but I don’t remember ever hearing of any unsavory exploits of Roy, Gene or Cisco. They just rode off into the sunset with the girl. Presidents Franklin and Dwight were well liked and I never heard anything discouraging about them. Harry did not fare so well, mainly because of his political firing of Gen. Douglas.

We just treated others as equals until they proved that they weren’t. No special privileges were granted to others just because of race or religion. We all survived! If you were born in America or became a citizen, you were known as an American, not by the country where your ancient ancestors came from.

If there was a power outage, life went on and everyone and industry still continued. People’s lives, banks, businesses and industry were able to continue with only minor inconveniencies. One could get a decent job in industry without a college degree. College educations were not affordable or realistic for most of us.

Not paying in cash was frowned on, unless you bartered using a commodity or your skills. A person was not considered to be trustworthy if they couldn’t pay in cash. If you couldn’t pay in cash, then you shouldn’t have it. That was the philosophy then. Now the opposite has occurred. Indebtedness is encouraged and then the institutions cry when an individual can’t pay.

I hope that some of my thoughts bring back pleasant memories to you and put a smile on your face.

You deserve to be happy!

CHAPTER 1

Before Point Place

Before moving to Point Place in Toledo, Ohio, we lived in an apartment on Collinsworth Blvd in Toledo. Even though I was only about two years old at the time, I still remember a few things of the late 1930’s and early 1940’s.

In our dining room we had a big Victrola phonograph record player setting on a table with a stack of records next to it. It was in a beautifully varnished wooden box and on the side of the box it had a big shiny handle to wind it. I had a hard time reaching it, so I had to stand on a chair when I wanted to wind it. I was only allowed to wind the Victrola when Mom was there. I loved winding it so we could hear the music.

I liked it when Mom played When Happy Days Are Here Again and I think that was my favorite song. I still remember trying to dance to it. Sometimes she played music from a lady called Carmen something, and I hated her music. I saw a picture of her once, and it looked like she had all kinds of fruit sitting on the top of her head. I remember seeing a lot of bananas, pineapples and other fruits piled on top of her head.

When I stood on the chair to wind the Victrola, Mom always gave me a stern look and said, Be extra careful and do not break that handle.

Then she pointed her finger at me and said, Before you touch that Victrola, you have to wash your hands. I don’t want your sticky finger prints on it.

Then off I went to the kitchen to wash my hands. That is, if she was watching. Sometimes I just turned on the faucet and let the water run, pretending to wash.

Some of the records were on a flexible plastic type of paper and some were regular hard records. I was told to be extra careful and not to scratch any of them, never.

Our apartment was not big, but I didn’t mind, as long as I had room for my toys.

I had a big shiny red wagon, big black tires and chrome hubcaps with wooden sides so that I could get a lot of stuff inside. I was told that I had to leave it on the back porch. I always pulled it all around the neighborhood and I put the stuff in it that I found. Actually, my red wagon wasn’t quite as I imagined, but that’s ok. It was really just a cardboard box that I pulled around with ropes instead of a handle. It still worked for me and it made me happy. Imagination is great for a young kid.

My sister, Pat, was told to watch over me to keep me out of trouble. Mom told her, Watch over him because he will wander and stray off. Then he will start getting into places where he shouldn’t be and get into trouble.

There were back alleys and many neat places for me to look at and explore.

Something happened once, and I got really mad. I don’t remember why, but I grabbed my wagon off the back porch and loaded it with my toys and ran away from home. It was warm outside so I had to go back and take off my jacket, then I started back down the sidewalk pulling my wagon.

Mom said to my sister, Go with Ronnie and make sure that nothing happens to him.

A little later, Pat looked at Mom and said, That was a waste of time, he made it to the bus stop, but he got tired waiting for the bus. He only waited five minutes then he wanted to come back home.

Sure wish that I remembered why I got so mad. I know it must have been something important, like me wanting candy and Mom wouldn’t give me any.

The apartment was on a busy street and Pat watched over me to make sure I didn’t get into too much trouble. I know I was a handful because I had an Irish temper which made it even more difficult. There was a park nearby and we used to go there to play. Mom tried to take pictures of me and I always got mad when she did that. Usually I ran off and hid in the bushes. Then she even took a picture of me hiding in the bushes with my toy golf club. Damn, a kid can’t even hide.

Kids two years old do not like to get their pictures taken. Maybe that