My first exposure to show business was when my mother hit the stage with the Upton Players. She was featured in several plays including Washington Slept Here, and Auntie Mame. I was amazed at how well she danced, sang, and acted on stage. Mom and all three boys were featured in a newspaper article in the Worcester Times about housewives battling boredom by putting on plays. In the summer she even started in some regional productions. She played summer stock at the Westboro Playhouse with Broadway actors and directors. In New England these plays were often staged in Theater Barns. These former farm structures had seating for about 80 people and had a stage with lighting and an orchestra pit. Patrons would park in the surrounding fields. I sat around for many rehearsals, watching the play come together. I remember seeing a musical number and the director stopping the action to make a change in the blocking. I also recall the costumes, the makeup, the props, the sets, and all the things that make up a production. To this day, I still love to watch stage productions, and feel a slight tinge of anxiousness when they’re about to start. This would not only later motivate me to take up acting myself, but “set the stage” for putting on my own productions — video productions that is.

NEXT UP – The Space Race

I remember going with Mom every week to the A&P in Milford to go grocery shopping. The Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, which is what it was called at the time, was the largest grocery store chain in the country. It was probably a quarter of the size of grocery stores today and had narrow aisles. But they took S&H Green Stamps. Green stamps were collected and glued into books that would allow customers to trade in filled books for merchandise. Back in the 50’s and 60’s, housewives usually cooked at least six days out of seven. The seventh day was usually set aside for finishing off left-overs, or frozen food like chicken pot pies. There were no fast food restaurants, and there were no restaurants that catered to families with children. This meant children had to be taught manners before they were allowed to eat out. Mom was a good cook though, and used to have several meals she was adept at making that suited us fine. They were: fried chicken with white gravy, Hungarian goulash, meat loaf, pot roast, and shrimp. We rarely had steaks or salads. Periodically she would make a horrible meal like liver, but that was rare. Peas, potatoes, squash, and green beans were a common side, and we always had whole milk to drink. Back in those days, people did not buy milk at the grocery store, that was delivered directly to your house once a week by a milk man. There was a metal box at our front door that was used to put our used glass bottles and a place for him to place our usual order of three quarts of milk and one chocolate milk. The only dessert we had was birthday cake, so that tells you how often that was served. For breakfast it was always some sort of cereal. My favorites when I was young were Alpha-Bits and Sugar Smacks. Once in a while Mom would make a pot of Quaker Oats oatmeal, the kind that came in the large round container. Once in a while on a weekend, she would make a big breakfast that might include waffles, bacon, and eggs. Because of Dad’s New England influence we would always had baked beans and brown bread available. Brown bread is the only bread that I know of that comes in a can. During my elementary school years we ate in an assembly room and brought our own lunch. The school would sell a half pint milk carton for four cents. Kids that had a dime could buy an ice cream sandwich or a small container of chocolate and vanilla ice cream with a little wooden spoon. We were never a lunch box kind of family, although I was attracted to the idea, and was often jealous of those kids that had them. For me it was always a brown paper bag stapled at the top. Candy was a whole different area. We rarely had the huge candy bars, which were a nickel back then, but we typically had an opportunity to buy penny candy which was exactly that, one cent a piece. Rexall had a candy counter. This was the procedure: you would approach the counter and say you wanted to buy some candy. The clerk would then pick up the smallest paper bag you ever saw. You would then identify to the clerk what you wanted. “Two root beer barrels, two Mary Janes, five Bazooka bubble gum, five caramels, three Smarties, two Bit-O-Honeys, four wax lips, one Jaw Breaker, and one Red Hot. Here’s a quarter.” If we had more money, we might spring for a pack of Winston candy cigarettes or a giant box of Dots. Also worth noting, there was no sales tax then. If we had another fifteen cents we might go for a comic book. When you’re seven years old in 1960 and you had fifty cents, you could live like a king — Take the bike ride home, pour the candy on your bed and spread open the comic. It’s going to be a great day!

NEXT UP – The Fire!

One of Dad’s co-workers came to visit us one summer. He had a convertible and asked if we wanted a ride. He said he’d buy all three of us a present if we wanted. Only problem was he was really, really drunk. We called out to Mom, and then climbed in the car and proceeded to travel down Rt. 140 to West Upton and the Rexall Drug Store where they sold toys and such. Kent, who was about 10 years old, helped steer the vehicle from the front seat around the be bends of the road. Once we arrived at the store, the sot gave each of us a dollar bill (equal to about $30 today in total) and we proceeded to climb out of the car, and run inside to spend the money with glee. I believe I bought a whiffle ball and bat and some candy. When we got back to the car there was a policemen there, watching over the man who by this time was totally unconscious. The policeman talked to the Pharmacist and made arrangements to get us back home. Apparently, Mom was very embarrassed and upset about the whole escapade. Dad of course was very angry and made sure the man got fired. If you recall the TV show The Andy Griffith Show, you might remember the character Otis. He used to get drunk all the time, and even get mad at the sheriff if the cell he normally used to sleep off his bender wasn’t available. Back in those days, drunken drivers were considered at most a nuisance, and rarely were arrested or charged with anything. With unsafe cars, no seatbelts, and the highways loaded with drunk drivers, it is a miracle any of us made it to adulthood.

NEXT UP – The 1950’s diet

I didn’t actually have my own closet in Upton, I shared one with Brad. Back in the 50’s and early sixties, there was a dress code we had to follow. Not just at school, but all seven days a week, and it was not negotiable. There were school clothes, play clothes, and Sunday school clothes. Each had its own guidelines and required special times to go out clothes shopping at a store. There were no enclosed malls then, in fact one of the first shopping centers was built not far from where we lived. It was called Shoppers World in Framingham. Mom’s favorite department store was Sears and Roebuck. You could buy anything there, either by visiting the store or from the voluminous catalogue. Clothes, lawnmowers, musical instruments, toys, appliances, furniture, sporting goods, even aluminum siding for your home could be purchased there. Mom went clothes shopping with us twice a year: Before school and before summer. She was always mindful about hand-me-downs, which came in handy having three boys. School clothes and Sunday school clothes were bought at the same time. We each required two pairs of shoes, brown for school, black for church. An additional piece of footwear required later were sneakers, which were only brought in and worn on gym days. Church shoes required polishing and shining. For school, boys had to wear long pants, chinos or corduroys, and collared shirts (no t-shirts allowed). For Sunday, dress shoes and black pants, a white dress shirt with cufflinks, tie and tie bar, and a sport jacket were required. If it rained, we all had to have galoshes or rubbers, which were worn over our shoes to protect them. And of course the yellow rain coat. Every boy I know had these in their closet. At school and church, girls had to wear dresses at all times. After-school and summer clothes were interchangeable. Blue jeans, khakis, or shorts, t-shirts (no advertising or logos then) or flannel shirts, and Keds or P.F. Flyer sneakers, though usually in the summer we didn’t wear shoes at all. We all either wore leather belts or suspenders. We also had some special winter clothes in the closet that included snow pants, sweaters, and boots. We had a washer and dryer, but Mom, like most housewives, hung our laundry out to dry on the clothes line with clothes pins most of the year. At the time the program was easy to follow and rarely challenged. A decade later though, the same kids will be wanting to break the rules, and push the clothing design envelope.

NEXT UP – Drunk driver

In the summer of 1959, Mom made a decision to visit her family back in Eureka, Kansas with all three boys. It was a L-O-N-G trip. Three days each way. We first took the The New England States train, run by the New York Central Railroad from Boston to Chicago. Then rode the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy passenger train, The Kansas City Zephyr to Eastern Kansas. The second train had a cool observation car. I only remember a few key events from the train trek. Stuttering through a “make your own record” message for Dad in Chicago and getting new sneakers. At the time, PF Flyers were the most coveted footwear for active kids. There was a commercial playing on Saturday morning that showed “the magic wedge” and how boys wearing these could jump higher and run faster. So while we were there on the day of our arrival, Grandmother sprung for new sneakers for all the grandkids. While Mom was visiting friends we went out to the street to try out our new shoes. All three boys running down the street with me in the rear. At one point, I remember looking down to look at my new shoes and wondering about the magic wedge, when “BANG!” I hit a parked car. In those days cars were petty solid. This 1957 Buick was all chrome and steel. I was rushed to the local GP who gave me stitches and a bandage on the top of my head and told me not to go in the water for ten days. At over 100 degrees, it was torture going to the country club and not being able to put my head underwater. The last thing I remember from the trip was arriving to Worcester at night and and having Dad pick us up in a brand new 1959 gray and white Ford Fairlane. I recall him showing Mom how the dual headlights worked, only to accidentally turn them off on Snake Hill on the way home.

NEXT UP – What’s in our closets

I was always a big fan of the boob tube. Mornings and after school on our 18 inch Motorola black and white set we used to watch such shows as Bozo the Clown, Captain Kangaroo, Romper Room, and Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop. Cartoons were a always a watchable commodity with Looney Tunes, Betty Boop, Popeye, Quick Draw McGraw, Yogi Bear, and Tom and Jerry. We used to watch short features recycled from movie theaters our parents used to attend like Littles Rascals and Our Gang, The Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy, and the Bowery Boys. We also used to take in the serial shows on Saturday morning like The Lone Ranger, Sky King, Rin Tin Tin, Mickey Mouse Club, and Superman. We rarely if ever went to the movies, so the movies I mostly remember were those shown on TV including King Kong, Tarzan, Frankenstein, War of the Worlds, and lots and lots of war movies. I vividly remember when Huckleberry Hound premiered on TV. In 1958, it was the first cartoon ever to run adjacent to prime time, which started at 8:00 in the evening. I remember it well because my bedtime was 7:30, and my parents allowed me to stay up and watch it. I also recall Sunday evening being a special with Davy Crockett, Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, and The Ed Sullivan Show. Situation comedies were very popular then and we used to watch them sometimes like Mr. Ed, Make Room for Daddy, Leave It to Beaver, I Love Lucy, and The Honeymooners. I got my first fix of knowledge enhancing shows with The 20th Century, Wild Kingdom, Mr. Wizard, the news from Walter Cronkite, and The Today Show. I used to watch a show called Salty Brian’s Shack. It was a local kids show out of Providence. He would sing songs and play guitar and used to show Popeye cartoons in the mornings. At the end of the show he would always play “The Grass is Always Greener on the Other Fellow’s Yard.” At the beginning he would lead the kids in the studio with the pledge of allegiance where the camera would show the American flag and a photograph of the president. At the time, I was used to seeing Dwight Eisenhower’s photo there, but that day they replaced it with John F. Kennedy. Imagine a man who is about my own Dad’s age, from my own state, as President! Here are is a You Tube video of what was on TV in the 1960’s, television show and commercials. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJpSD2zghGY

Bicycles were a very big part of my life in my younger years. In Upton, I learned how to ride and how to skid to a sudden stop. My brothers and I and friends would ride as fast as we could down Wood Street, and brake hard, and see who could make the longest tire skid. We would navigate down Snake Hill on Prospect Street that led from the highest point of Wood Street into the town green of Upton. We would decorate our bikes for July 4th and make a motorcycle sound by using clothes pins to attach baseball cards to the frame of the bike such that the cards stuck out into the spokes. It wasn’t unusual for us to ride into town together. One time I rode with Johnny Page to his grandfather’s place outside Hopedale. I remember it was a long ride along busy Route 140 and he was very old and bed-ridden. He didn’t have any teeth and told us a story about how his hand got caught in a hay baler when he was our age and even showed us the scar to prove it. One time, Mom asked if we could get her frogs legs, so all three of us rode off to Froglesss Pond and caught some bullfrogs, killed them, and cut off their legs so she could make some Frogs Legs for dinner.

NEXT UP – TV

Dad bought Kent a BB gun for his 10th birthday. I was not allowed to touch it, so naturally I was particularly interested in it as a taboo item. One day while Mom was taking her daily afternoon nap, Brad and I found the hiding place for the rifle and decided to try it out. He said to me, “Let’s play William Tell.” We couldn’t find an apple anywhere, but did find an old metal flashlight with the bulb, battery, and end cap removed so it was basically a metal tube. Inexplicably, I put it up to my eye, and challenged my eight year old brother to shoot through the tube from about 8 feet away. Believe it or not he aimed and tried to shoot my eye out. Instead, the BB hit me square in middle of my forehead. Brad led me upstairs as I was crying and bleeding to tell Mom, “I accidentally shot Marc in the head.” Needless to say, after she got over the initial shock my Mom was not happy. I think it was Dad’s turn to do the spanking that night. After all, Mom reminded him that it was his idea to get the gun in the first place. An upset Kent was forced to to throw out the nearly new weapon. As for Brad? He got his comeuppance later involving another BB gun, a metal tube, and getting shot in the face.

NEXT UP – Biking around

Another brainstorm of Johnny’s was the time he suggested we steal a watermelon from Farmer Kelly’s field. Yes, that’s the place being protected by crazy grandpa Kelly and his salt pellet shotgun. We snuck onto the field and rolled out a ripe one, the biggest we could find. We then realized in order for it to be a perfect crime we’d have to eat up all the evidence. We spent the good part of an hour eating that fruit as fast as we could, spitting out dozens of seeds, and quickly taking another mouthful while being vigilant — looking out for grandpa Kelly, parents, other kids, mountain lions, anything that might foil our plan. We were so sick from consuming that huge watermelon that, to this day, I won’t eat any form of melon. Later in life when I was in college, I got a summer job working in a produce department. One of my routine tasks? Cutting watermelon for customers. My boss told me when I got the job, “You will be the envy of everybody. You get to eat as much watermelon as you want, for free.” I know now that God has a wicked sense of humor.

NEXT UP – Crazy Daisy