A Potpourri of Whimsical Reflections from “Back in the Day”

Growing up in Arlington, VA in the 1950’s and 60’s was truly a wonderful experience. So, WTBS, this Baby Boomer, upon reflection, in no particular order and without any “rhyme or reason”, is whimsically listing these remembrances from “back in the day” from his elementary school days through those during his junior high school time. Of course, by no means is this a complete listing, but rather just a smattering of reflections.

–Eating fresh fallen snow

–Burning leaves on the sidewalk in Colonial Village with the help of the sun and a magnifying glass

–Being given my own record player (a Zenith) for my bedroom and playing my first two purchased (with my allowance) records from G.C. Murphys in Clarendon, in 1964, “Oh, Pretty Woman” and “Do Wah Diddy Diddy”

–My first girlfriend, Carla, in third grade at Wilson Elementary, which lasted just a few weeks, breaking up because she didn’t want to climb trees

–Seeing every one of those “007” movies at the RKO Keith’s Movie Theatre on 15th Street, NW in the 1960’s with my father only after a must visit to the Planters Peanut Store next door where a Mr. Peanut stood out front for a bag of warm nuts

–Getting my first goldfish for a nickel, again from Murphy’s, goldfish bowl, and goldfish food–watching the goldfish eat its food and continually feeding it so I can watch it eat–finding it the next day floating on top of the water–flushing it down the toilet–returning to Murphy’s to spend another nickel for another goldfish

–At 12, my father telling me it was time for me to get a job and that first job was being a camp counselor at a camp for mentally and physically challenged children in Manassas, VA called Camp Tapawingo where I was a volunteer–it was such a wonderful experience upon reflection as the camp was also a project started by my dad and the Civitan Club

–Eating lunch in the car with Dad, as inside dining didn’t exist then, having to walk up to a window to order your food, enjoying two cheeseburgers, fries, and a drink for less than $1 watching the fries being fresh cut and amazed by what I was observing

–Destroying my prize baseball card collection by using them as targets for my Daisy BB gun–hindsight is 20/20

–As an only child, enjoying the friendship of my pet parakeet, Christopher, who was with me for just two years while I was attending 2nd and 3rd grades and how devastated I was when he died remembering my dad placing him in a small cookie tin and burying him on the grounds of Colonial Village–very sad

–Working summers from age 14-20 at Colonial Village where my dad was GM cutting grass and trimming hedges in good weather and when it rained cleaning apartments, stripping the parquet floors with turpentine using a floor buffer, then brushing them with shellac creating a beautiful glossy finish–hard work especially in hot weather

–Dreading two-a-day football practices in August and ending each practice running wind sprints my ninth grade year

–Enjoying weekend ice cream at Gifford’s on Lee Highway

–Learning to ride a 2-wheeler with training wheels on the sidewalk leading to the playground on Troy Street in Colonial Village, falling a number of times resulting in torn up knees–ouch–but I learned how to ride quickly

–Taking black and white pictures using a Kodak 110 Instamatic camera and having to load the film into the back of the camera and removing the film once the pictures had been taken and dropping it off at People’s Drug Store to have the film developed

–Phones were a rotary dial and our exchange in Arlington began with “JA” for Jackson–my mom seemed to always be on that phone

–For three years throughout Junior High School, I had 3 Evening Star paper routes in Colonial Village delivering 225 daily papers and 275 Sunday papers where my routes covered both sides of Troy Street, the right side of Key Boulevard to Rhodes Street, all of Rhodes Street from Lee Highway to Wilson Boulevard including Queen’s Lane

–Hanging out with my dad as he was selling Claxton Fruit Cakes during the Holidays for the Civitan Club raising funds for mentally and physically handicapped children

–Being a true “nerd” entering 7th grade at Stratford Junior High School with my crew cut, oversized leather briefcase, and pocket protector filled with assorted pens and a mechanical pencil

–By ninth grade having transformed into the ultimate “preppy” having grown my hair out, Gant oxford blue button-down dress shirt with prerequisite “fruit loop” and matching blue socks, Haggar tan cuffed slacks, Bass Weejuns loafers, and the mandatory Peters Navy Blue Zip Jacket

–Playing 11–12-year-old little league baseball for Civitan, winning two championships, and having 6 other teammates I would play with again as a General at Washington-Lee High School and win two district titles there–somewhat ironic

–Sitting in the back of a scooter that my dad was driving after a snowstorm dumping sand onto the sidewalks throughout Colonial Village

–Spending many fun days at Wilson Elementary playing the sport of the season with a loyal group of buddies and during the summer, the Arlington Recreation Department would assign counselors who provided us with many fun activities

–Seeing Miss May having a hot dog and a coke at the People’s Drug Store at Wilson Boulevard and Rhodes Street

–Finally learning how to climb a fence without falling

–Being given permission to cross Wilson Boulevard mid-block to go to the Giant without having to walk down to Rhodes Street and cross at the traffic light

–Summers during junior high being spent at the pool at the Iwo Jima Motel–great fun

–Shooting skeet with my dad at the Manassas Gun Club

–Visiting Washington with my mom via the Arnold Bus Line and seeing all the sights

–Walking with buddies throughout Arlington National Cemetary and sitting for hours in awe of The Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

–Riding my bike all around Arlington County without a helmet and basically in incommunicado with anyone just needing to be home no later than 5PM–and surviving just fine

–Enjoying Hot Shoppes on Lee Highway and Kirkwood Road

–My babysitters Miss Hannah and Nannie

–The girls in junior high school I had a crush on and they never worked out

–Throwing snowballs at cars and the one we hit that came after us–scary

–Loving The Beatles

–Taking almost empty Clorox containers to elementary school for storing drinking water in case of an atomic bomb attack on Washington during the Cuban Missile Crisis–also scary

–John Wayne was my hero and I’m sure yours too

–Being taken out of school to attend Opening Day for the Washington Senators each year and see the POTUS throw out the opening pitch

–Watching American Bandstand with my mother every afternoon on TV live from Philadelphia

–My favorite stores in Clarendon–Mayer’s, Swiller’s, G.C. Murphy, and McQuinn’s Sporting Goods

–Mario’s Pizza and their Steak and Cheese with a slice of pie–pizza pie that is

–Heading to my grandparents every Sunday in Alexandria for an afternoon visit and enjoying my grandmothers homemade from scratch baked goods like jelly cake and homemade ice cream with peach and pineapple being my faves

–Joining the Boy Scouts with every intention of becoming an Eagle Scout, but settling on only becoming a Tenderfoot, after my folks purchased all the uniforms and camping supplies, when on our first camping trip I was placed on latrine duty, first having to dig the ditch and then maintaining it throughout the weekend camp, where I quickly came to the realization being a Boy Scout wasn’t for me, of course, to my folks dismay for all the obvious reasons

–Dad letting me go to the golf course with him and be his caddy and also allowing me to drive the golf cart even though I wasn’t supposed too

–My mother was a big smoker “back in the day” and I often caught her with two cigarettes lit at the same time in her ashtray

–My father was a 50-year season ticket holder of the Washington Redskins and the enjoyment I experienced in attending so many of their games growing up, even though, they weren’t a very good team

Hoping this potpourri of whimsical reflections from “back in the day” will allow you to take a few moments to create your own memories and hopefully share them with this blog through your comments.

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