During our lifetime, do you realize how many changes that have taken place that we take for granted? Let me name a few.

Can you imagine, way back in the day, using a wood stove to do your cooking? Today, we have fancy gas or electric stoves with oven and the like.

Do you remember the ice man coming by with his ice truck, where you would buy a block of ice to put in your ice box to refrigerate your food? As kids, we couldn’t wait for him to come so we could grab scrapings of ice left on the truck to stuff our mouth. Then along came the refrigerator, with ice makers and ice cube trays.

Back in the day, we had the food hucksters, with their trucks full of fruits and vegetables. I remember one particular huckster named “Catty the Gyp.” On one particular day, my grandmother asked him if the watermelons were sweet. He replied, “Lady, if you have sugar diabetes, don’t buy any of them.” The self- service food stores then came on the scene, the likes of ShopRite, Acme, etc.

Remember the hot summer days when we used fans to keep us cool? I remember sleeping out on the porch during extreme heat. When air conditioning first came along, we would go to the movies or a department store to take advantage of this great invention. Now, air conditioners are prevalent in almost every home.

In the evenings people used to visit friends and relatives. Then with the advent of television, people were more likely to stay at home to watch their favorite shows or sporting events. All in all, television added to our entertainment pleasure, even though it did stifle our socialization.

Lastly, I remember when maybe one family on the block had a telephone and, if they did have one, it was a four-party line. Today, everyone is walking around with plugs in their ears and a phone in their hand.

In some ways, I sort of liked the olden days. What do you think?

John (Junie) Quinesso


Read or Share this story: