The Neighborhood

Have you watched "Leave It To Beaver" or any of the shows from the fifties? My life was like that, except it was two girls instead of two boys.

<---we had this car - it had push button gears-one morning the reverse button got stuck while Mom was warming it up and it backed itself out of the driveway and was going backwards in slow circles in the middle of the street. Daddy had to run in several circles before he was able to jump in and stop it. Sis and I were sooooo embarrassed.

We lived in a neighborhood where everyone watched out for everyone else's kids. Where it was alright to take off in the morning and stay gone all day as long as you were home by dark. We put on talent shows in our garages and charged two cents for a Pixie cup of Kool-Aid. My Mom bought us Prom dresses at the Goodwill store to wear in our shows.

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We also had Kool-Aid stands in front of our houses and folks would pull over and buy a Tupperware glass full of the icy cold drink for a dime. We would go from house to house collecting for The March of Dimes, selling Girl Scout cookies, or that delicious chocolate bar "Softball Chocolate" what I would give for some of that chocolate. I don't know the real name for it, but it was a huge chocolate bar with break off pieces and it was wonderful. It was a dollar a bar.

Halloween was fun, we would go around the block three times, hitting the best houses every time. It was so safe and secure then. Our parents didn't even go with us once we were eight or older. We were warned against unwrapped candy though.
Daddy was starting to do really well at his job. We were invited to his bosses house for dinner. Mom went to J.C. Penny's and bought us all new dresses, we were washed and primped and excited.

<---Camelot, we loved President Kennedy at our house. I was in fourth grade when he was killed. We were very upset it happened when he was visiting our area.

We could tell it meant a lot to Mom and Dad to be on our best behavior. The boss Mr. Bell and his wife Mrs. Bell had a very nice home in North Dallas. I was about eight as this time and sister was ten. Mrs Bell had two children, a boy, twelve and a girl, nine.

The Miss America pageant was on TV and Mrs Bell and Mom were watching it and having Tom Collins in tall, cloudy glasses with a lime and orange slice on the edge of the glass. I remember it very clearly for some reason. It was the first time I saw Mom envious. Mrs Bell had just had new paneling put in the Dining room. I could see Mom wanted it badly. We did have paneling added to our dining room in later years. I don't know where the men went. I think there was a Billiard table somewhere. Mrs Bell told her kids to take us and show us their rooms. They has tons of stuff and they were kinda mean and snotty to me and sister, though the girl was nicer to sister and they started playing after a while. I (being me) followed the boy to his room. He tried to act cool, but he liked the attention and ended up showing me some neat toys.

He had the Magic Shot Shooting Gallery, Rock N Sock Em Robots, and some neat Matchbox Cars. I was in Heaven. He also had a train set that I wanted so badly. I begged Daddy to get me one and he said they were for boys and I should stop being silly.

My Mom loved dolls and still does and so sister and I got Barbie dolls as soon as the came out. Grandpa Williams (Mom's Dad) was living with us then and he built us a three story doll house and Mom furnished it with all the newest gadgets. We had a kitchen and the oven lit up and had a little rotisserie chicken in it, a sink with running water. The bedroom was so pretty . Mom had made an itty bitty bedspread and rug. The living room had all the details, lamps, phones, books, table, couch, chairs and a TV. It was a special Christmas. One of many you will probably hear about if you keep reading this.