During a recent walk through the neighborhood, I noticed a tube hanging from a mailbox with the faded-out words Baltimore Sun. I started reminiscing about a time when most people would have had a newspaper delivered to a tube on the side of their mailbox post. In fact, they might receive a paper in the morning and one in the afternoon. It was so important to receive a newspaper, that was the source for the latest news — news that was over 12 hours old. You could purchase a paper in almost every store. It would only require a coin. Now, the paper edition of the local newspaper is like a solar eclipse, something rarely seen.
So, this triggered additional memories of things that have faded into history. For example, most houses would receive a telephone directory. In Ellicott City you would likely receive 2 books over 3 inches thick, one white page and 1 yellow page. If you need a plumber you would go to the yellow pages. TV not working, find a TV repairman. If your TV quit working today, would you even try to have it repaired?
The phone book was so important it was almost a household tool. The book was not perfect, You might have to wait a year for your number to be printed in the book. Think about that if you were a newly started small business.
On the telephone subject think about this, it was not that long ago only a few people had mobile service. If you didn’t work in an office you could go all day without access to a phone and never miss it.
The corner market would deliver your groceries. Today we call that InstaCart. Milk, eggs and bakery products might be a standard delivery.
Need a new frying pan, hammer, or clothing? Pull out Sears, JC Penney or Montgomery Ward catalog, Items shipped to your door. Today we call it Amazon.
Car for sell? We used the classified.
Piece of furniture for sale, how about the Pennysaver.
Something to give away, we might use the bulletin board at the grocery store.
Today we have so many options, eBay, Facebook, Next-door and countless other ways to sell or dispose of property.
Looking for a job, trying to find employee. That was the classified ads. Today so many options.
Car won’t start, battery dead. Call AAA. Today we ……. Oh yeah, we still call AAA.
Trivia: 1st mass produced car was the curved dash Oldsmobile in 1901. AAA was founded in 1902.
This is a short story, meant to bring a smile and hopefully good memories.
Hope everyone is doing well.