366 days.
I shared 17,569 days of marriage with Susan. I loved her for 18,664 days before her death.
But sometimes the past 366 days seemed longer than the 17,569 or the 18,664.
I was never alone until Susan's death on July 22, 2019. I moved from my parents' house to my and Susan's house on June 15th, 1971. We spent occasional days apart when she or I attended conventions alone (usually because one of us had to stay with the cats we always spoiled), but the total number of days we spent away from one another during our 48 year marriage was less than a dozen.
"You weren't meant to be alone," Susan said to me once when she was contemplating a doctor's prediction that she had less than a year to live due to a chronic, debilitating illness (she proved him wrong by living for seven years beyond that—and even then, it was not that illness that took her from me).
I was certain she was wrong. I tried to prove her wrong. I failed, because she knew me better than I knew myself.
My therapist asked me, "Could you live the rest of your life without love?" I told her no. Thankfully, I never had to—I had the love of friends who saw me through my bleakest moments, who shared my pain and sorrow.
Those friends led me to rediscover something I had said many years ago and have repeated often since then: every day, no matter how heartbreaking or painful, contains a nugget of joy in it. On the day that Susan died, Brett and Allison and Charles took me to El Rodeo for lunch because I hadn't eaten in over thirty hours. They reminisced with me of happier times when Susan was healthy, and those memories made me smile. Even on that day, friends helped me discover a nugget of joy.
I have experienced and endured all those somber firsts without her—the first birthday, first Halloween, the first Thanksgiving, the first Christmas, the first New Year's, the first Valentine's Day, the first anniversary,
With the help of others, I have learned that I can be alone. I have learned that I can like myself. And I have learned that I can love and can be loved. And I have learned that life can surprise me. I learned all of that in the past year.
366 days. But that's not the most important number.
19,030 days—that's how long I have loved Susan, as of today. And that number increases by one every time another midnight arrives. That's the most important number.
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
Saturday, July 04, 2020
Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 7/6/1970 to 7/12/1970
New Rome City Schools superintendent Jesse C. Laseter ordered county news to conduct a thorough cleaning and repainting of Rome City Schools in preparation for the upcoming school year. Laseter had already gone on record regarding his hopes to renovate and improve school facilities, but until there were enough funds to make that possible, he at least wanted to make the schools look better. This would be the first time West Rome High classrooms were fully repainted since the school's founding in 1958. The school board also approved more than $20,000 for West Rome's 1970-71 athletic budget, which included $4800 for new uniforms for several sports teams.
With construction of Floyd Junior College running a bit behind schedule, there was a chance that some classrooms wouldn't be ready for the fall opening, To ensure that no classes would be postponed, the Georgia Board of Regents contracted with First United Methodist to hold classes in a portion of the church's educational building on East Third Avenue. The plan would allow classes to meet there until the facilities were completed, at which time they would move to the Floyd Junior College campus.
If you lived in West Rome in 1970, you undoubtedly loved Kay's Kastles, the ice cream shop in Gala Shopping Center. There was good news for all Kay's Kastles fans this week in 1970: to make it easier to cool off on a hot summer day, Kay's Kastles lowered the price on their sherbet pints to 21¢ each, while pints of ice cream were 29¢ each.
Piggly Wiggly had chuck roast for 43¢ a pound, cabbage for 12¢ a pound, and Royal Cup coffee for 49¢ a pound. Kroger had sirloin steak for $1.29 a pound, Morton frozen dinners for 33¢ each, and Country Club ice cream for 44¢ a half-gallon. Big Apple had fresh whole fryers for 29¢ a pound, Lenox Park peanut butter for 49¢ a jar, and Save-On canned biscuits for 8¢ a can (that's right—8¢ for a can of ten biscuits!). A&P had swiss steak for 75¢ a pound, okra for 29¢ a pound, and a 3.5 pound box of Cheer detergent for 87¢. Couch's had pork chops for 59¢ a pound, tomatoes for 15¢ a pound, and Van Camp's chili with beans for 35¢ a can.
The cinematic week began with A Boy Named Charlie Brown at the DeSoto Theatre, The Boys in the Band (starring Cliff Gorman) at the First Avenue, M*A*S*H (starring Elliott Gould & Donald Sutherland) at the Village, and True Grit (starring John Wayne) at the West Rome Drive-In. The cinematic week brought the X-rated Female Animal (starring Arlene Tiger... and yeah, I'm sure that's her real name) to the First Avenue and the X-rated Gutter Girls (starring a bunch of... well, gutter girls) to the West Rome Drive-In, while A Boy Named Charlie Brown and M*A*S*H hung around for another week.
This week in 1970, Three Dog Night held on to the number one slot for another week with "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)." Other top ten hits included "The Love You Save/I Found That Girl" by the Jackson 5 (#2); "(They Long to Be) Close to You" by the Carpenters (#3); "Band of Gold" by Freda Payne (#4); "Ball of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)" by the Temptations (#5); "Ride Captain Ride" by Blues Image (#6); "Lay Down (Candles In the Rain)" by Melanie with the Edwin Hawkins Singers (#7); O-o-h Child/Dear Prudence" by the 5 Stairsteps (#8); "Gimme Dat Ding" by the Pipkins (#9); and "Make It With You" by Bread (#10).
With construction of Floyd Junior College running a bit behind schedule, there was a chance that some classrooms wouldn't be ready for the fall opening, To ensure that no classes would be postponed, the Georgia Board of Regents contracted with First United Methodist to hold classes in a portion of the church's educational building on East Third Avenue. The plan would allow classes to meet there until the facilities were completed, at which time they would move to the Floyd Junior College campus.
If you lived in West Rome in 1970, you undoubtedly loved Kay's Kastles, the ice cream shop in Gala Shopping Center. There was good news for all Kay's Kastles fans this week in 1970: to make it easier to cool off on a hot summer day, Kay's Kastles lowered the price on their sherbet pints to 21¢ each, while pints of ice cream were 29¢ each.
Piggly Wiggly had chuck roast for 43¢ a pound, cabbage for 12¢ a pound, and Royal Cup coffee for 49¢ a pound. Kroger had sirloin steak for $1.29 a pound, Morton frozen dinners for 33¢ each, and Country Club ice cream for 44¢ a half-gallon. Big Apple had fresh whole fryers for 29¢ a pound, Lenox Park peanut butter for 49¢ a jar, and Save-On canned biscuits for 8¢ a can (that's right—8¢ for a can of ten biscuits!). A&P had swiss steak for 75¢ a pound, okra for 29¢ a pound, and a 3.5 pound box of Cheer detergent for 87¢. Couch's had pork chops for 59¢ a pound, tomatoes for 15¢ a pound, and Van Camp's chili with beans for 35¢ a can.
The cinematic week began with A Boy Named Charlie Brown at the DeSoto Theatre, The Boys in the Band (starring Cliff Gorman) at the First Avenue, M*A*S*H (starring Elliott Gould & Donald Sutherland) at the Village, and True Grit (starring John Wayne) at the West Rome Drive-In. The cinematic week brought the X-rated Female Animal (starring Arlene Tiger... and yeah, I'm sure that's her real name) to the First Avenue and the X-rated Gutter Girls (starring a bunch of... well, gutter girls) to the West Rome Drive-In, while A Boy Named Charlie Brown and M*A*S*H hung around for another week.
This week in 1970, Three Dog Night held on to the number one slot for another week with "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)." Other top ten hits included "The Love You Save/I Found That Girl" by the Jackson 5 (#2); "(They Long to Be) Close to You" by the Carpenters (#3); "Band of Gold" by Freda Payne (#4); "Ball of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)" by the Temptations (#5); "Ride Captain Ride" by Blues Image (#6); "Lay Down (Candles In the Rain)" by Melanie with the Edwin Hawkins Singers (#7); O-o-h Child/Dear Prudence" by the 5 Stairsteps (#8); "Gimme Dat Ding" by the Pipkins (#9); and "Make It With You" by Bread (#10).
Saturday, June 27, 2020
Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 6/29/1970 to 7/5/1970
Jesse C. Laseter officially assumed his new role as superintendent of Rome City Schools this week in 1970. His number one priority was improving the school facilities. "We probably have the most outdated buildings in the state," Laseter said. "You can't have a quality program without adequate space for libraries and the like." Roy Goolsby joined the system as assistant school superintendent, while George Kemp signed on as director of maintenance.
Traffic on Shorter Avenue was moving slower than usual thanks to Southern Bell's efforts to expand the telephone cable network in West Rome and West Floyd County. Plans called for the work to be completed in less than a week, but Southern Bell warned West Romans that one lane of Shorter Avenue would be closed in each direction every afternoon until the work was finished.
The Big K Sunday Opening War continued. The store manager, Montie Rasure, was convicted of violating Georgia's Sunday closing laws, but Big K responded by opening once again on Sunday. When Sheriff Joe Adams paid them a visit, they chose to close at 2pm rather than face another arrest. Sheriff Adams said that his visit was prompted by a request from Floyd County District Attorney Larry Salmon, who in turn said that he made the call after Broad Street merchants called him to complain. In the meantime, Big K filed an appeal of the conviction, hoping to have the case heard by the Georgia Supreme Court.
Floyd Hospital employees were given a 6% raise effective June 29th; to pay for the raise, the hospital announced plans to raise the cost of hotel rooms by $4 a day, pushing the lowest-cost hospital room to $35 a day and the best private rooms to $46 a day.
Oh, how lucky we were back in 1970: Citizens Federal was offering 6% interest on certificates of deposit with a $5000,00 minimum. Home Federal matched those rates--but they also offered 5.75% interest on a CD of only $1000!. Sure, $5000 equals about $32,000 today and $1000 equals about $6400--but 6% is also about 6 times what most CDs are paying today!
Piggly Wiggly had ground beef for 49¢ a pound, Duke's mayonnaise for 49¢ a quart, and whole watermelons for 69¢ each. Kroger had round steak for 98¢ a pound, Morton pot pies for 19¢ each, and plums for 33¢ a pound. A&P had shank portion hams for 39¢ a pound, milk for 89¢ a gallon, and nectarines for 49¢ a pound. Big Apple had turkeys for 48¢ a pound, Stokely catsup for 19¢ a bottle, and corn for 7¢ an ear. Couch's had pork roast for 59¢ a pound, Bounty paper towels for 29¢ a roll, and bananas for a dime a pound.
The cinematic week began with The Hawaiians (starring Charlton Heston) at the DeSoto Theatre, The Libertine (starring Catherine Spaak) at the First Avenue, 1932: The Moonshine War (starring Patrick McGoohan) at the Village, and the "terror-rama" of Guess What Happened to Count Dracula, Curse of the Stone Hand, The Crawling Eye, and Terror of the Blood Hunters at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switch out brought A Boy Name Charlie Brown to the DeSoto Theatre, The Boys in the Band (starring Cliff Gorman) to the First Avenue, M*A*S*H (starring Donald Sutherland & Elliott Gould) to the Village, and True Grit (starring John Wayne, Glen Campbell, & Kim Darby) to the West Rome Drive-In.
The number one song this week in 1970 was "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" by Three Dog Night. Other top ten songs included "The Love You Save/Found That Girl" by the Jackson 5 (#2); "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today): by the Temptations (#3); "Ride Captain Ride" by Blues Image (#4); "Band of Gold" by Freda Payne (#5); "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" by Melanie with the Edwin Hawkins Singers (#6); "They Long to be Close to You" by the Carpenters (#7); "The Long and Winding Road" by the Beatles (#8); "The Wonder of You/Mama Liked the Roses" by Elvis Presley (#9); and "Hitchin' a Ride" by Vanity Fare (#10).
The first episode of Casey Kasem's "American Top Forty" aired on radio stations across the country this week in 1970.
Traffic on Shorter Avenue was moving slower than usual thanks to Southern Bell's efforts to expand the telephone cable network in West Rome and West Floyd County. Plans called for the work to be completed in less than a week, but Southern Bell warned West Romans that one lane of Shorter Avenue would be closed in each direction every afternoon until the work was finished.
The Big K Sunday Opening War continued. The store manager, Montie Rasure, was convicted of violating Georgia's Sunday closing laws, but Big K responded by opening once again on Sunday. When Sheriff Joe Adams paid them a visit, they chose to close at 2pm rather than face another arrest. Sheriff Adams said that his visit was prompted by a request from Floyd County District Attorney Larry Salmon, who in turn said that he made the call after Broad Street merchants called him to complain. In the meantime, Big K filed an appeal of the conviction, hoping to have the case heard by the Georgia Supreme Court.
Floyd Hospital employees were given a 6% raise effective June 29th; to pay for the raise, the hospital announced plans to raise the cost of hotel rooms by $4 a day, pushing the lowest-cost hospital room to $35 a day and the best private rooms to $46 a day.
Oh, how lucky we were back in 1970: Citizens Federal was offering 6% interest on certificates of deposit with a $5000,00 minimum. Home Federal matched those rates--but they also offered 5.75% interest on a CD of only $1000!. Sure, $5000 equals about $32,000 today and $1000 equals about $6400--but 6% is also about 6 times what most CDs are paying today!
Piggly Wiggly had ground beef for 49¢ a pound, Duke's mayonnaise for 49¢ a quart, and whole watermelons for 69¢ each. Kroger had round steak for 98¢ a pound, Morton pot pies for 19¢ each, and plums for 33¢ a pound. A&P had shank portion hams for 39¢ a pound, milk for 89¢ a gallon, and nectarines for 49¢ a pound. Big Apple had turkeys for 48¢ a pound, Stokely catsup for 19¢ a bottle, and corn for 7¢ an ear. Couch's had pork roast for 59¢ a pound, Bounty paper towels for 29¢ a roll, and bananas for a dime a pound.
The cinematic week began with The Hawaiians (starring Charlton Heston) at the DeSoto Theatre, The Libertine (starring Catherine Spaak) at the First Avenue, 1932: The Moonshine War (starring Patrick McGoohan) at the Village, and the "terror-rama" of Guess What Happened to Count Dracula, Curse of the Stone Hand, The Crawling Eye, and Terror of the Blood Hunters at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switch out brought A Boy Name Charlie Brown to the DeSoto Theatre, The Boys in the Band (starring Cliff Gorman) to the First Avenue, M*A*S*H (starring Donald Sutherland & Elliott Gould) to the Village, and True Grit (starring John Wayne, Glen Campbell, & Kim Darby) to the West Rome Drive-In.
The number one song this week in 1970 was "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" by Three Dog Night. Other top ten songs included "The Love You Save/Found That Girl" by the Jackson 5 (#2); "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today): by the Temptations (#3); "Ride Captain Ride" by Blues Image (#4); "Band of Gold" by Freda Payne (#5); "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" by Melanie with the Edwin Hawkins Singers (#6); "They Long to be Close to You" by the Carpenters (#7); "The Long and Winding Road" by the Beatles (#8); "The Wonder of You/Mama Liked the Roses" by Elvis Presley (#9); and "Hitchin' a Ride" by Vanity Fare (#10).
The first episode of Casey Kasem's "American Top Forty" aired on radio stations across the country this week in 1970.
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Neither Friend Nor Enemy
Death is not my enemy.
Death has shown me kindness. Didn't keep me, back in April 2000. Things to be done, so death sent me back after seven minutes. Not yet, death murmured.
Death didn't take my mother right away. Nor my father. Nor my beloved Susan. Nor Anna, or Tisha, or Mischa. I give you one more good day. One more good night. One chance to say goodbye.
An evening of family photos and shared stories. A hearty meal and plans for a home recuperation. A loving smile, a gaze that saw all the way into my heart, and whispered words of love. An hour of affection that transcended weariness. A contented nap beside me. A weary head resting on my arm.
Take these moments. My time comes soon. I can wait a little longer. I have eternity.
Sometimes it takes a while to see what death gives. Too busy raging against what death takes.
Discomfort. Fear. Confusion. Anguish. Pain. Death takes those, too.
Not entirely, though. Death leaves a bit of those feelings in us so that we can comprehend what those we love endured before they were taken.
What you feel now? They felt it, too, only so much more. I ended their discomfort. Their fear. Their confusion. Their anguish. Their pain.
That's not the action of my enemy. I can see that now.
Someday death will be my final friend. Not yet, I murmur.
Take these moments. My time comes soon. I can wait a little longer. I have eternity.
Death has shown me kindness. Didn't keep me, back in April 2000. Things to be done, so death sent me back after seven minutes. Not yet, death murmured.
Death didn't take my mother right away. Nor my father. Nor my beloved Susan. Nor Anna, or Tisha, or Mischa. I give you one more good day. One more good night. One chance to say goodbye.
An evening of family photos and shared stories. A hearty meal and plans for a home recuperation. A loving smile, a gaze that saw all the way into my heart, and whispered words of love. An hour of affection that transcended weariness. A contented nap beside me. A weary head resting on my arm.
Take these moments. My time comes soon. I can wait a little longer. I have eternity.
Sometimes it takes a while to see what death gives. Too busy raging against what death takes.
Discomfort. Fear. Confusion. Anguish. Pain. Death takes those, too.
Not entirely, though. Death leaves a bit of those feelings in us so that we can comprehend what those we love endured before they were taken.
What you feel now? They felt it, too, only so much more. I ended their discomfort. Their fear. Their confusion. Their anguish. Their pain.
That's not the action of my enemy. I can see that now.
Someday death will be my final friend. Not yet, I murmur.
Take these moments. My time comes soon. I can wait a little longer. I have eternity.
Saturday, June 20, 2020
Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 6/22/1970 to 6/28/1970
Rome City Schools and Floyd County Schools announced the fall opening of the Coosa Valley Vocational High School, which would be open to tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade city and county students. The Vocational High School would be located on the Coosa Valley Tech campus. The school would begin in August with classes in electrical repair, construction, metal working, drafting, transportation, and cosmetology. Students would be enrolled at their regular city or county high schools, but would be transported to the Coosa Valley Tech campus for two hours of instruction each day. West Rome students would attend classes from 10:30 to 12:30 each day.
Armed robbers decided that the Dari-King was a major retail center, so they targeted it for robbery on Wednesday night, June 24th. The robbers took almost $300 from the Dari-King's register and from the wallets of four employees inside the restaurant, then forced one of them to drive the pair of thieves to their getaway car on Selman Road, not too far from the Dari-King.
Columbia Records country music star Stonewall Jackson came to Gibson's Discount Center in Rome on Wednesday, June 24th, signing records and offering an impromptu acoustic performance. Gibson's said that this would be the first of several signings planned for their new record department.
Piggly Wiggly had chuck roast for 89¢ a pound, cantaloupes for 33¢ each, and milk for 89¢ a gallon. Kroger had fresh whole fryers for 28¢ a pound, whole watermelons for 89¢ each, and Morton frozen cream pies for 23¢ each. Big apple had sirloin tip roast for 99¢ a pound, Coca-Cola/Tab/Sprite/Fresca for 33¢ a carton plus deposit, and bananas for a dime a pound. A&P had taken hens for 29¢ a pound, Farmbest ice milk for 39¢ a half-gallon, and yellow or white corn for a dime an ear. Couch's had pork steak for 69¢ a pound, Nabisco saltines for 43¢ a box, and fresh locally-grown tomatoes for 19¢ a pound.
The cinematic week began with Paint Your Wagon (starring Lee Marvin) at the DeSoto Theatre, Women In Love (starring Jennie Linden & Alan Bates) at the First Avenue, Beneath the Planet of the Apes (starring Charlton Heston) at the Village, and 100 Rifles (starring Rquel Welch & Jim Brown) at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switch out brought The Hawaiians (starring Charlton Heston) to the DeSoto, the X-rated film The Libertine (starring Catherine Spaak) at the First Avenue, 1932: The Moonshine War (starring Patrick McGoohan) at the Village, and a low-budget horror film fest of Guess What Happened to Count Dracula, Curse of the Stone Hand, The Crawling Eye, and Terror of the Blood Hunters at the West Rome Drive-In.
The Jackson 5 took the number one slot this week with "The Love You Save/I Found That Girl." Other top ten hits included "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" by Three Dog Night (#2); "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" by the Temptations (#3); "The Long & Winding Road" by the Beatles (#4); "Hitchin' a Ride" by Vanity Fare (#5); "Ride Captain Ride" by Blues Image (#6); "Band of Gold" by Freda Payne (#7); "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" by Melanie with the Edwin Hawkins Singers (#8); "The Wonder of You/Mama Liked the Roses" by Elvis Presley (#9); and "Get Ready" by Rare Earth (#10).
This was a busy week for album releases in 1970. New titles available this week included Marrying Maiden by It's a Beautiful Day; Changes by the Monkees; Ecology by Rare Earth; On Stage by Elvis Presley; Runt by Todd Tundgren; and Vehicle by the Ides of March.
Armed robbers decided that the Dari-King was a major retail center, so they targeted it for robbery on Wednesday night, June 24th. The robbers took almost $300 from the Dari-King's register and from the wallets of four employees inside the restaurant, then forced one of them to drive the pair of thieves to their getaway car on Selman Road, not too far from the Dari-King.
Columbia Records country music star Stonewall Jackson came to Gibson's Discount Center in Rome on Wednesday, June 24th, signing records and offering an impromptu acoustic performance. Gibson's said that this would be the first of several signings planned for their new record department.
Piggly Wiggly had chuck roast for 89¢ a pound, cantaloupes for 33¢ each, and milk for 89¢ a gallon. Kroger had fresh whole fryers for 28¢ a pound, whole watermelons for 89¢ each, and Morton frozen cream pies for 23¢ each. Big apple had sirloin tip roast for 99¢ a pound, Coca-Cola/Tab/Sprite/Fresca for 33¢ a carton plus deposit, and bananas for a dime a pound. A&P had taken hens for 29¢ a pound, Farmbest ice milk for 39¢ a half-gallon, and yellow or white corn for a dime an ear. Couch's had pork steak for 69¢ a pound, Nabisco saltines for 43¢ a box, and fresh locally-grown tomatoes for 19¢ a pound.
The cinematic week began with Paint Your Wagon (starring Lee Marvin) at the DeSoto Theatre, Women In Love (starring Jennie Linden & Alan Bates) at the First Avenue, Beneath the Planet of the Apes (starring Charlton Heston) at the Village, and 100 Rifles (starring Rquel Welch & Jim Brown) at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switch out brought The Hawaiians (starring Charlton Heston) to the DeSoto, the X-rated film The Libertine (starring Catherine Spaak) at the First Avenue, 1932: The Moonshine War (starring Patrick McGoohan) at the Village, and a low-budget horror film fest of Guess What Happened to Count Dracula, Curse of the Stone Hand, The Crawling Eye, and Terror of the Blood Hunters at the West Rome Drive-In.
The Jackson 5 took the number one slot this week with "The Love You Save/I Found That Girl." Other top ten hits included "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" by Three Dog Night (#2); "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" by the Temptations (#3); "The Long & Winding Road" by the Beatles (#4); "Hitchin' a Ride" by Vanity Fare (#5); "Ride Captain Ride" by Blues Image (#6); "Band of Gold" by Freda Payne (#7); "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" by Melanie with the Edwin Hawkins Singers (#8); "The Wonder of You/Mama Liked the Roses" by Elvis Presley (#9); and "Get Ready" by Rare Earth (#10).
This was a busy week for album releases in 1970. New titles available this week included Marrying Maiden by It's a Beautiful Day; Changes by the Monkees; Ecology by Rare Earth; On Stage by Elvis Presley; Runt by Todd Tundgren; and Vehicle by the Ides of March.
Friday, June 12, 2020
A Life in Four Colors Part Fifty-Nine
September 1975 to March 1977 was perhaps the most idyllic, perfect time of our marriage--and of our lives.
Susan had never really believed that she would get to go back to school. We had talked about it so many times during our engagement and our early married years, but Susan always assumed that something would come along to prevent it from actually happening. She was the first person in her family to graduate from high school and was convinced that she would never actually be able to go beyond that.
But she did. And she thrived at Coosa Valley Tech.
Susan took data processing at a time when punch cards were still common. She loved the classes, she loved the technical aspect of data processing and programming, and she loved the cutting-edge aspect of her chosen field. She felt like she was moving so far beyond the poverty that had defined her childhood that nothing could ever pull her back to those impoverished roots. That was a fear of hers in the early days--that we would somehow suffer setbacks that would take us back to the lifestyle she had so struggled to escape.
Susan had worked since before she graduated from high school. That was the family norm--get a job when you turned sixteen, quit school soon after, then keep doing whatever jobs you could find for the rest of your life. She refused to quit school, which already made her an exception in her family. And in the fall of 1975, she was able to quit work and focus on school full time.
When we came home after her first day of class, she wept. I feared that something had gone wrong at school, and started to comfort her. "No--these are happy tears," she said. "It's like a dream, but I don't want it to end."
And it didn't... add least , not for a year and eight months. She completed her course work at CVT--almost. She actually didn't finish he last six weeks of her final quarter there because she was hired at Management Science America in Atlanta in March of 1977. The school had helped her find the job, and they gave her credit for that final course figuring that she was getting on-the-job training that was far more valuable than anything she could ever get in the classroom.
While Susan was in school, I was beginning my teaching career at East Rome High School. I loved the school, my fellow English teachers (Sandra Jackson, Monte Sue Howell, Willie Mae Samuel, and Lynne Mitchell, all of who had been at East Rome for years when I joined the faculty), and I loved my students. I felt that I belonged in the classroom. I had a job that inspired me, and I was good at it.
We had more money than ever before in our marriage. While Susan wasn't working, she qualified for a form of unemployment that paid her a modest sum to attend technical school. And teaching, while it didn't pay a fortune, provided us with more money than we had previously earned when both of us were working at hourly jobs. So we were able to pay our bills, put money into savings, make double payments on Susan's VW, and still have extra money for fun spending. We were even able to afford to buy a new car for me to replace my 1964 Volkwagen with 247,000 miles on it--my first new car ever, a 1976 yellow Honda Civic.
Most importantly, though, we had the gift of time together. The school day ended for me at 4pm. Susan's school day ended at 4 as well. So we would often take one car to Rome, and I would drop her off at CVT on the way to East Rome, then pick her up shortly after four (it was only a five to ten minute drive from East Rome to CVT). For the first four years of our marriage, our lives had us going in different directions, not seeing one another until 5:45 to 6pm every weekday. But now we were able to commute together, then to see each other eight hours later.
Since we were in Rome, we would often spend the afternoon at Riverbend Mall, which was directly across Turner McCall Boulevard from East Rome High School. My classroom, which was in a more recently-constructed wing of the school, had a door that opened directly to the parking lot; I could see Riverbend Mall when I opened that door. Rather than going home to prepare dinner, we'd often eat at Morrison's in the mall, then walk around and window-shop at Miller's or Belk's and dream of a future wen we could buy anything we saw in those windows. We felt like we weren't that far away from that point, either--not because we were that wealthy, but because we didn't have particularly exorbitant tastes. Years living within a budget had trained us well.
After four years of not seeing each other for eleven to twelve hours a day due to differing work schedules and commutes, we were together for two hours in the morning and seven waking hours in the afternoon and evening, five days a week. Susan had homework and I had papers to grade, but we could be together, and we could take breaks together and listen to music together and talk to each other.
Susan flourished once the stress of her job in the payroll department of the Arrow Shirt Factory was lifted from her. She was almost exuberant about being a student again, and she and our dear friend Gary Steele (who was also at CVT, although in a different technical program) would talk to one another about classes and teachers and school events almost as if they were in high school again. I can't remember any other time when she was so continually happy, so joyful, so carefree.
We found time to do more work on our fanzine, Future Retrospective. We increased the frequency of our trips to Cumberland Mall in Marietta (a much larger mall than Riverbend) from once a month to every other week, regularly visiting our friend Larry Mason at his apartment near the Buford Highway-Clairmont Road intersection (in 1975, this was a thriving area for young professionals). We would make the rounds of used bookstores and record stores, bringing home a fresh haul every time. We made regular forays to the twin musical meccas of Peaches and Oz, two supermarket-sized record stores that were metro Atlanta icons. We even began looking at houses--not ready to buy quite yet, but ready to find the kind of house we liked so that we would know what to look for when we were ready to buy.
It couldn't last forever. In early 1977, with graduation just a few months away, Susan began looking for a job. She had hoped to find something in Rome or Cedartown, but she found her opportunity in Atlanta with the aforementioned Management Science America, whose office was directly across the street from another mall—Lenox Square in Atlanta. A commute was out of the question, so in early March of 1977, we spent a weekend checking out apartments in Marietta (a half-hour commute for Susan and a fifty minute commute for me to East Rome, where i continued to each).
In retrospect, I wish that wonderful time had never come to an end--and I sometimes wonder how different our lives might have been had she never taken a job in metro Atlanta, allowing us to remain in Rome and Cedartown instead. But 1977 wasn't a year for what-ifs. It was a year for opportunities and new experiences and a new career--and for the first time in our six-plus years of marriage, both of us were working full-time not just in hourly jobs, but in careers. The idyllic years gave way to two exciting years that marked the next chapter of our lives.
Susan had never really believed that she would get to go back to school. We had talked about it so many times during our engagement and our early married years, but Susan always assumed that something would come along to prevent it from actually happening. She was the first person in her family to graduate from high school and was convinced that she would never actually be able to go beyond that.
But she did. And she thrived at Coosa Valley Tech.
Susan took data processing at a time when punch cards were still common. She loved the classes, she loved the technical aspect of data processing and programming, and she loved the cutting-edge aspect of her chosen field. She felt like she was moving so far beyond the poverty that had defined her childhood that nothing could ever pull her back to those impoverished roots. That was a fear of hers in the early days--that we would somehow suffer setbacks that would take us back to the lifestyle she had so struggled to escape.
Susan had worked since before she graduated from high school. That was the family norm--get a job when you turned sixteen, quit school soon after, then keep doing whatever jobs you could find for the rest of your life. She refused to quit school, which already made her an exception in her family. And in the fall of 1975, she was able to quit work and focus on school full time.
When we came home after her first day of class, she wept. I feared that something had gone wrong at school, and started to comfort her. "No--these are happy tears," she said. "It's like a dream, but I don't want it to end."
And it didn't... add least , not for a year and eight months. She completed her course work at CVT--almost. She actually didn't finish he last six weeks of her final quarter there because she was hired at Management Science America in Atlanta in March of 1977. The school had helped her find the job, and they gave her credit for that final course figuring that she was getting on-the-job training that was far more valuable than anything she could ever get in the classroom.
While Susan was in school, I was beginning my teaching career at East Rome High School. I loved the school, my fellow English teachers (Sandra Jackson, Monte Sue Howell, Willie Mae Samuel, and Lynne Mitchell, all of who had been at East Rome for years when I joined the faculty), and I loved my students. I felt that I belonged in the classroom. I had a job that inspired me, and I was good at it.
We had more money than ever before in our marriage. While Susan wasn't working, she qualified for a form of unemployment that paid her a modest sum to attend technical school. And teaching, while it didn't pay a fortune, provided us with more money than we had previously earned when both of us were working at hourly jobs. So we were able to pay our bills, put money into savings, make double payments on Susan's VW, and still have extra money for fun spending. We were even able to afford to buy a new car for me to replace my 1964 Volkwagen with 247,000 miles on it--my first new car ever, a 1976 yellow Honda Civic.
Most importantly, though, we had the gift of time together. The school day ended for me at 4pm. Susan's school day ended at 4 as well. So we would often take one car to Rome, and I would drop her off at CVT on the way to East Rome, then pick her up shortly after four (it was only a five to ten minute drive from East Rome to CVT). For the first four years of our marriage, our lives had us going in different directions, not seeing one another until 5:45 to 6pm every weekday. But now we were able to commute together, then to see each other eight hours later.
Since we were in Rome, we would often spend the afternoon at Riverbend Mall, which was directly across Turner McCall Boulevard from East Rome High School. My classroom, which was in a more recently-constructed wing of the school, had a door that opened directly to the parking lot; I could see Riverbend Mall when I opened that door. Rather than going home to prepare dinner, we'd often eat at Morrison's in the mall, then walk around and window-shop at Miller's or Belk's and dream of a future wen we could buy anything we saw in those windows. We felt like we weren't that far away from that point, either--not because we were that wealthy, but because we didn't have particularly exorbitant tastes. Years living within a budget had trained us well.
After four years of not seeing each other for eleven to twelve hours a day due to differing work schedules and commutes, we were together for two hours in the morning and seven waking hours in the afternoon and evening, five days a week. Susan had homework and I had papers to grade, but we could be together, and we could take breaks together and listen to music together and talk to each other.
Susan flourished once the stress of her job in the payroll department of the Arrow Shirt Factory was lifted from her. She was almost exuberant about being a student again, and she and our dear friend Gary Steele (who was also at CVT, although in a different technical program) would talk to one another about classes and teachers and school events almost as if they were in high school again. I can't remember any other time when she was so continually happy, so joyful, so carefree.
We found time to do more work on our fanzine, Future Retrospective. We increased the frequency of our trips to Cumberland Mall in Marietta (a much larger mall than Riverbend) from once a month to every other week, regularly visiting our friend Larry Mason at his apartment near the Buford Highway-Clairmont Road intersection (in 1975, this was a thriving area for young professionals). We would make the rounds of used bookstores and record stores, bringing home a fresh haul every time. We made regular forays to the twin musical meccas of Peaches and Oz, two supermarket-sized record stores that were metro Atlanta icons. We even began looking at houses--not ready to buy quite yet, but ready to find the kind of house we liked so that we would know what to look for when we were ready to buy.
It couldn't last forever. In early 1977, with graduation just a few months away, Susan began looking for a job. She had hoped to find something in Rome or Cedartown, but she found her opportunity in Atlanta with the aforementioned Management Science America, whose office was directly across the street from another mall—Lenox Square in Atlanta. A commute was out of the question, so in early March of 1977, we spent a weekend checking out apartments in Marietta (a half-hour commute for Susan and a fifty minute commute for me to East Rome, where i continued to each).
In retrospect, I wish that wonderful time had never come to an end--and I sometimes wonder how different our lives might have been had she never taken a job in metro Atlanta, allowing us to remain in Rome and Cedartown instead. But 1977 wasn't a year for what-ifs. It was a year for opportunities and new experiences and a new career--and for the first time in our six-plus years of marriage, both of us were working full-time not just in hourly jobs, but in careers. The idyllic years gave way to two exciting years that marked the next chapter of our lives.
Friday, May 29, 2020
Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 6/1/1970 to 6/7/1970
(The next few weeks of Fifty Years Ago... will be skimpier than I'd like, because many daily issues of the Rome News-Tribune are missing from the archives. This week, for instance, the paper only had four of the six days available (there was no Saturday paper back then). Sunday papers seem to be missing for most of the summer, and some weeks have as few as two days of newspapers on file.)
The opening of Floyd Junior College brought an end to the Rome Center for Continuing Education, which launched in 1948 as an extension of the University System of Georgia. The center, which had an enrollment of 441 in its final year of operation, offered courses in western world literature, English composition, algebra, western civilization, contemporary social problems, American History, American government, speech, psychology, sociology, and trigonometry. The center planned to merge its course offerings with the new junior college when it began offering courses in the fall of 1970. (Until I found this article, I had no idea that there was a Rome Center for Continuing Education offering courses that could transfer to any Georgia University System school!)
Rome city pools (the main city pool and the Hardy Street pool) opened at 1pm on Friday, June 5th. Admission was 25¢ for children 12 and under, 35¢ for teenagers, and 50¢ for adults.
The Braves held Rome Night on June 2nd, with Rome's Ralph Primm throwing out the first ball and Judge HE Nichols singing the national anthem. Rome civic leaders organized busses to transport Romans to Atlanta Stadium for the game against the New York Mets.Romans got to watch the Braves win that game 4-1, thanks to Phil Niekro, who threw a four-hitter for the night. The Mets blamed the evening rain for their loss, complaining that the game should have been called due to bad weather that left puddles on the field, but Romans who attended the game dismissed those complaints as sour grapes.
A&P had beef roast for 69¢ a pound, Bush's pork & beans for a dime a can, and large eggs for 39¢ a dozen. Piggly Wiggly had Wilson's ham for 39¢ a pound, canntaloupes for 33¢ each, and 100 Tetley tea bags for 99¢. Kroger had fresh whole fryers for 27¢ a pound, carrots for a dime a bag, and Downy Flake frozen waffles for a quarter a box. Big Apple had ground beef for 55¢ a pound, Irvindale ice cream for 49¢ a half-gallon, and whole watermelons for 99¢ each. Coiuch's had sirloin steak for $1.09 a pound, corn for 8¢ an ear, and Coca-Cola/Tab/Sprite for 33¢ a carton plus deposit.
The cinematic week began with Let It Be (the Michael Lindsay-Hogg documentary about the making of the Beatles' final album release) at the DeSoto Theatre, Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice? (starring Geraldine Page) at the First Avenue, Norwood (starring Glen Campbell & Kim Darby) at the Village, and The Reivers (starring Steve McQueen) at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switch out brought Walt Disney's King of the Grizzlies to the DeSoto, the X-rated Cindy & Donna to the First Avenue, and Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid (starring Paul Newman & Robert Redford) to the West Rome Drive-In, while Norwood hung around at the Village for another week.
The Beatles held the number one slot this week with "The Long & Winding Road." Other top ten hits included "Which Way You Going Billy?" by the Poppy Family (#2); "Everything Is Beautiful" by Ray Stevens (#3); "Get Ready" by Rare Earth (#4); "Love on a Two-Way Street" by the Moments (#5); "Cecilia" by Simon & Garfunkel (#6); "The Letter" by Joe Cocker (#7); "Up Around the Bend/Run Through the Jungle" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#8); "Make Me Smile" by Chicago (#9); and "The Love You Save" by the Jackson 5 (#10).
The opening of Floyd Junior College brought an end to the Rome Center for Continuing Education, which launched in 1948 as an extension of the University System of Georgia. The center, which had an enrollment of 441 in its final year of operation, offered courses in western world literature, English composition, algebra, western civilization, contemporary social problems, American History, American government, speech, psychology, sociology, and trigonometry. The center planned to merge its course offerings with the new junior college when it began offering courses in the fall of 1970. (Until I found this article, I had no idea that there was a Rome Center for Continuing Education offering courses that could transfer to any Georgia University System school!)
Rome city pools (the main city pool and the Hardy Street pool) opened at 1pm on Friday, June 5th. Admission was 25¢ for children 12 and under, 35¢ for teenagers, and 50¢ for adults.
The Braves held Rome Night on June 2nd, with Rome's Ralph Primm throwing out the first ball and Judge HE Nichols singing the national anthem. Rome civic leaders organized busses to transport Romans to Atlanta Stadium for the game against the New York Mets.Romans got to watch the Braves win that game 4-1, thanks to Phil Niekro, who threw a four-hitter for the night. The Mets blamed the evening rain for their loss, complaining that the game should have been called due to bad weather that left puddles on the field, but Romans who attended the game dismissed those complaints as sour grapes.
A&P had beef roast for 69¢ a pound, Bush's pork & beans for a dime a can, and large eggs for 39¢ a dozen. Piggly Wiggly had Wilson's ham for 39¢ a pound, canntaloupes for 33¢ each, and 100 Tetley tea bags for 99¢. Kroger had fresh whole fryers for 27¢ a pound, carrots for a dime a bag, and Downy Flake frozen waffles for a quarter a box. Big Apple had ground beef for 55¢ a pound, Irvindale ice cream for 49¢ a half-gallon, and whole watermelons for 99¢ each. Coiuch's had sirloin steak for $1.09 a pound, corn for 8¢ an ear, and Coca-Cola/Tab/Sprite for 33¢ a carton plus deposit.
The cinematic week began with Let It Be (the Michael Lindsay-Hogg documentary about the making of the Beatles' final album release) at the DeSoto Theatre, Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice? (starring Geraldine Page) at the First Avenue, Norwood (starring Glen Campbell & Kim Darby) at the Village, and The Reivers (starring Steve McQueen) at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switch out brought Walt Disney's King of the Grizzlies to the DeSoto, the X-rated Cindy & Donna to the First Avenue, and Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid (starring Paul Newman & Robert Redford) to the West Rome Drive-In, while Norwood hung around at the Village for another week.
The Beatles held the number one slot this week with "The Long & Winding Road." Other top ten hits included "Which Way You Going Billy?" by the Poppy Family (#2); "Everything Is Beautiful" by Ray Stevens (#3); "Get Ready" by Rare Earth (#4); "Love on a Two-Way Street" by the Moments (#5); "Cecilia" by Simon & Garfunkel (#6); "The Letter" by Joe Cocker (#7); "Up Around the Bend/Run Through the Jungle" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#8); "Make Me Smile" by Chicago (#9); and "The Love You Save" by the Jackson 5 (#10).
Saturday, May 16, 2020
Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 5/18/1970 to 5/24/1970
What had once been a regional dream became a reality this week in 1970 as Floyd Junior College began processing registration for the fall quarter. After more than a half a decade of back and forth discussions about building a junior college to serve Northwest Georgia, construction was nearing completion, faculty had been contracted, and the school began accepting applications from any students who had (or would have) a high school diploma and had taken (or would take prior to July 31st) the Scholastic Aptitude Test.
Of course, any major construction project has unanticipated side effects, and the junior college construction was no exception. Due to the new demands on the water system, the city approved a $900,000 water and sewer expansion from Rome to the Silver Creek and junior college area. The new expansion plan came just a week after Rome finally completed the expansion into the West Rome/Alabama Road area, boosting pressure for homes that complained that very little water was reaching their "end of the line" homes.
West Rome's John Sapp represented the school at the Georgia Class AA meet on Friday and Saturday at Tara Stadium in Clayton County, where he would compete in the hurdles. Sapp held the Rome area 1970 track season record with 14.9 seconds in the high hurdles and 20.2 in the low hurdles. Xavier Smith competed in the high jump and Chuck Kinnebrew competed in the discus--and while neither held a 1970 track season record, both were in the top three for the region. (Did Sapp, Smith, or Kinnebrew win at the region meet? Alas, I do not know, because the Rome News-Tribune is missing the paper that would have that news. If any of you reading this know how the three did, please share the info!)
City manager Bruce Hamler and Rome Recreation Department director Grady McCalmon said that they were investigating a new round of vandalism problems at Rome city parks. In the prior month, vandals had ripped out toilets and sinks, kicked in the doors to the restrooms, and shattered soft drink bottles on the tennis courts. Residents reported seeing teenagers in the area where the vandalism occurred, but no suspects had been identified. In response, the city said that they were going to pay for extra security in the city's 116 acres of parks, and intended to prosecute any vandals.
The Rome Boys Club Choir held their 13th annual concert on Thursday, May 21st, and Friday, May 22nd, at the City Auditorium. The concert was a mix of sacred music and popular songs, followed by a selection of "old time favorites." In addition to the whole choir, a barber shot quartet of boys also performed.
Apparently I had no idea how expensive Kentucky Fried Chicken was in 1970: the restaurant was offering a special nine-piece "thrift box" of Chicken for $1.89, with two pints of sides for 55¢ (buy one, get one free, since 55¢ was the regular price for one side). With an inflation multiplier of $6.61, that's the equivalent of paying $12.49 for the chicken and $3.65 for the two sides. And I remember how small and oddly cut KFC chicken was back then. Compare that to what you'd pay at Publix for eight very large pieces of chicken and two sides today and you can see that KFC's sale wasn't much of a sale at all!
Piggly Wiggly had ground beef for 49¢ a pound, Van Camp's chili for 29¢ a can, and strawberries for 49¢ a pint¢. Kroger had chuck roast for 59¢ a pound, sweet potatoes for 12¢ a pound, and Sealtest ice cream for 55¢ a half-gallon. Big Apple had rib roast for 89¢ a pound, apples for 16¢ a pound, and a five-pound bag of frozen french fries for 69¢. A&P had T-bone steak for $1.09 a pound, Hormel Vienna sausages for a dime a can, and carrots for a dime a bag. Couch's had chicken breast for 53¢ a pound, Nabisco vanilla wafers for 39¢ a box, and Van Camp's pork & beans for 15¢ a can.
The cinematic week began with The Magic Christian (starring Peter Sellers & Ringo Starr, with music by Badfinger and others) to the DeSoto Theatre, Vixen (an X-rated Russ Meyer film starring Erica Gavin) to the First Avenue, The Molly Maguires (starring Richard Harris & Sean Connery) to the Village, and Invasion of the Animal People (with John Carradine) West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switch out brought Funny Girl (starring Barbra Streisand) to the DeSoto Theatre, A Man Called Horse (starring Richard Harris) at the Village, and Shame (an X-rated film starring no one you've ever heard of) to the West Rome Drive-In, while the X-rated Russ Meyer film Vixen hung around for another week at th eFirst Avenue.. And am I the only one who thinks that a drive-in isn't the best place to show an X-rated film, since anyone driving by on Shorter Avenue would have a very clear view of the on-screen action? (And it ain't like you've got to hear an X-rated film to get the gist of things...)
Ray Stevens took the number one slot this week in 1970 with his optimistic "Everything Is Beautiful." Other top ten its included "American Woman" by the Guess Who (#2); "Love On a Two-Way Street" by the Moments (#3); "Cecilia" by Simon & Garfunkel (#4); "Up Around the Bend/Run Through the Jungle" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#5); "Which Way You Goin' Billy?" by the Poppy Family (#6); "The Letter" by Joe Cocker (#7); "Turn Back the Hands of Time"by Tyrone Davis (#8); "Vehicle" by the Ides of March (#9); and "Let It Be" by the Beatles (#10).
The sometimes grim and generally grainy film Let It Be, chronicling the Beatles' recording sessions for their final album release (although it wasn't the final album they recorded—Abbey Road was). The rather joyless documentary makes it appear that the Beatles had no fun at all in these sessions—but filmmaker Peter Jackson is assembling an all-new documentary from the same footage that will show a much more amiable, enthusiastic Fab Four as they assemble this "back to the basics" album. Jackson's film is scheduled for fall 2020 release.
Of course, any major construction project has unanticipated side effects, and the junior college construction was no exception. Due to the new demands on the water system, the city approved a $900,000 water and sewer expansion from Rome to the Silver Creek and junior college area. The new expansion plan came just a week after Rome finally completed the expansion into the West Rome/Alabama Road area, boosting pressure for homes that complained that very little water was reaching their "end of the line" homes.
West Rome's John Sapp represented the school at the Georgia Class AA meet on Friday and Saturday at Tara Stadium in Clayton County, where he would compete in the hurdles. Sapp held the Rome area 1970 track season record with 14.9 seconds in the high hurdles and 20.2 in the low hurdles. Xavier Smith competed in the high jump and Chuck Kinnebrew competed in the discus--and while neither held a 1970 track season record, both were in the top three for the region. (Did Sapp, Smith, or Kinnebrew win at the region meet? Alas, I do not know, because the Rome News-Tribune is missing the paper that would have that news. If any of you reading this know how the three did, please share the info!)
City manager Bruce Hamler and Rome Recreation Department director Grady McCalmon said that they were investigating a new round of vandalism problems at Rome city parks. In the prior month, vandals had ripped out toilets and sinks, kicked in the doors to the restrooms, and shattered soft drink bottles on the tennis courts. Residents reported seeing teenagers in the area where the vandalism occurred, but no suspects had been identified. In response, the city said that they were going to pay for extra security in the city's 116 acres of parks, and intended to prosecute any vandals.
The Rome Boys Club Choir held their 13th annual concert on Thursday, May 21st, and Friday, May 22nd, at the City Auditorium. The concert was a mix of sacred music and popular songs, followed by a selection of "old time favorites." In addition to the whole choir, a barber shot quartet of boys also performed.
Apparently I had no idea how expensive Kentucky Fried Chicken was in 1970: the restaurant was offering a special nine-piece "thrift box" of Chicken for $1.89, with two pints of sides for 55¢ (buy one, get one free, since 55¢ was the regular price for one side). With an inflation multiplier of $6.61, that's the equivalent of paying $12.49 for the chicken and $3.65 for the two sides. And I remember how small and oddly cut KFC chicken was back then. Compare that to what you'd pay at Publix for eight very large pieces of chicken and two sides today and you can see that KFC's sale wasn't much of a sale at all!
Piggly Wiggly had ground beef for 49¢ a pound, Van Camp's chili for 29¢ a can, and strawberries for 49¢ a pint¢. Kroger had chuck roast for 59¢ a pound, sweet potatoes for 12¢ a pound, and Sealtest ice cream for 55¢ a half-gallon. Big Apple had rib roast for 89¢ a pound, apples for 16¢ a pound, and a five-pound bag of frozen french fries for 69¢. A&P had T-bone steak for $1.09 a pound, Hormel Vienna sausages for a dime a can, and carrots for a dime a bag. Couch's had chicken breast for 53¢ a pound, Nabisco vanilla wafers for 39¢ a box, and Van Camp's pork & beans for 15¢ a can.
Ray Stevens took the number one slot this week in 1970 with his optimistic "Everything Is Beautiful." Other top ten its included "American Woman" by the Guess Who (#2); "Love On a Two-Way Street" by the Moments (#3); "Cecilia" by Simon & Garfunkel (#4); "Up Around the Bend/Run Through the Jungle" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#5); "Which Way You Goin' Billy?" by the Poppy Family (#6); "The Letter" by Joe Cocker (#7); "Turn Back the Hands of Time"by Tyrone Davis (#8); "Vehicle" by the Ides of March (#9); and "Let It Be" by the Beatles (#10).
The sometimes grim and generally grainy film Let It Be, chronicling the Beatles' recording sessions for their final album release (although it wasn't the final album they recorded—Abbey Road was). The rather joyless documentary makes it appear that the Beatles had no fun at all in these sessions—but filmmaker Peter Jackson is assembling an all-new documentary from the same footage that will show a much more amiable, enthusiastic Fab Four as they assemble this "back to the basics" album. Jackson's film is scheduled for fall 2020 release.
Monday, May 11, 2020
A Life in Four Colors Part Fifty-Eight
My quarter as a student teacher was financially challenging. It was also one of the most memorable periods of our lives.
Just as I was preparing to quit my job and start my student teaching under the guidance of Mrs. Fincher at West Rome High School (yes, I ended up student teaching at the same school from which I had graduated less than four years earlier), Susan and I decided that this would be the perfect time to launch our own fanzine.
Future Retrospective. A review fanzine focusing primarily on SF & fantasy, but also touching on comics, fanzines, television, music, and more.
Susan and I had done apazines for years (small-circulation fanzines for amateur press alliances, which are shared with the other members of the apa in exchange for copies of their apazines), and we had written for other fanzines as well as for prolines like Jim Steranko's Mediascene. But FR was our first fanzine for mass (if 200 readers qualifies as "mass") distribution.
When you launch a new fanzine, you're throwing your work (and your money) into the void, hoping you get enough support, response, and (ideally) subscriptions to keep things going. So even with our tight budget, we launched Future Retrospective, printing it and mailing at out at our cost.
Apparently a lot of the people to who we sent the first issue liked it. Within a month, we had sufficient subscription support to cover the cost of the first issue and next few--and even better, we had overwhelmingly positive support from kind members of the professional writing community. Piers Anthony, Michael Bishop, Thomas Burnett Swann, Joe Green, Andre Norton--they all sent in letters in response to the first issue. And having material from them in the second issue (where we published those letters of comment) generated even more subscription and letter support.
We followed the same model that a fan named Dick Geis had used in his fanzine The Alien Critic, mixing reviews and letters of comment rather than having a selection of letters at the end of the fanzine. It sometimes resulted in odd juxtapositions--a letter of comment from Piers Anthony appearing just before a review of a new Piers Anthony novel--but I think the format was a part of FR's success. People enjoyed seeing commentary from acclaimed professional writers alongside reviews, and the mixture made readers more likely to read everything in the issue.
We got interesting commentary from Thomas Burnett Swann, an erudite, scholarly, and refined writer of mythologically-influenced fantasy who revealed that he was also a longtime Edgar Rice Burroughs fan, and that if he had his way Jeff Jones would do the covers for every one of his books. We got a letter from Andre Norton revealing that, while she never planned to write another Time Agents novel, she actually had plans for the cast that could have filled multiple volumes. Or both Piers Anthony and Thomas Burnett Swann agreeing with Susan that most female protagonists in science fiction were unrealistic portrayals of women. Or Piers revealing that, while he had written a disaster novel called Rings of Ice that was set in part in North Georgia (and he even ran parts of that novel past Susan and me to make sure he got the setting right), he actually didn't even like disaster novels. We would even cross paths with veteran Weird Tales greats like Frank Belknap Long, Mary Elizabeth Counselman, and E. Hoffman Price, which was a dream come true for an Arkham collector like me.
This was early 1975. There was no internet, no social media. Fanzines were the only way most fans ever interacted with the authors whose work they enjoyed. So these letters, filled with insights and revelations into the authors attitudes and ideas and motivations, were the sort of thing that fanzine readers loved. As did Susan and I.
Future Retrospective would run 17 issues, wrapping up in 1979. Susan and I loved doing it, but our lives kept expanding to fill every available moment, and eventually our time as SF reviewers came to an end. But for the four and a half years that we did the fanzine, we sold lots of copies (the print run on the final issue was 650 copies), and we even won a Rebel Award for outstanding fan achievement in Southern SF fandom--and Future Retrospective was cited in the award presentation.
What I loved most, though, were the lifelong friendships that came out of it. We were invited to visit some of these authors at their homes. We became close friends with fan artists and writers who eagerly contributed to our fanzine.
And one of those friendships, which lasted for many years, was with Piers Anthony Jacob, who wrote under the name Piers Anthony. Our correspondence led to Piers inviting us to visit him at his home in Tampa--and it culminated in an offer so generous that I still find it hard to believe.
Piers, Susan and I often discussed the contents of SF magazines, and how many of SF's biggest names no longer contributed to the magazines the way they did in the 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s. Piers mentioned how much he loved SF magazines when he was a fan and a beginning writer, adding that he had thousands of magazines going back to the 1940s.
Then he asked if we wanted them.
Of course we wanted them! This was an incredible library of magazines including Astounding/Analog, Fantasy and Science Fiction, Galaxy, If, Amazing, Fantastic, and many more--and Piers was willing to give them to us!
There were two requirements. First, we would have to drive down to his house to pick them up. Secondly, we had to promise that we would never sell them--if we lost interest in SF magazines, we would have to find an eager recipient to whom we would pass them on.
Our two cars were Volkswagens, neither of which could hold even a fraction of the magazines he was offering. My parents, however, had a Ford LTD that was one of those land yachts that had plenty of space. They were willing to let us borrow their car for the trip.
Arranging the time off turned out to be far less tricky than I thought it would be. Piers wanted them to go away fairly quickly, so he asked if we could pick them up in March or April of 1975. Thankfully, I had two days off from student teaching in early April, so we headed off to Florida.
Piers and Cam (his wife) were incredibly kind hosts, spending an afternoon swapping stories and filing us in about the early days of his writing career. His daughters Penny and Cheryl were kind enough to pick blackberries for all of to snack on while we were chatting. After a while, Piers said, "These are the largest blackberries I've ever seen. Where did you find them?" To which his daughters replied, "They grow really big over at the cemetery!" We looked at each other for a moment, then looked warily at the blackberries--but we figured we had eaten most of them by that point, so with a "why not?" grin, Piers ate the next to the last blackberry and offered the final one to me.
As for the magazines--the collection was even larger than I anticipated. And best of all, many of the magazines had carbon copy pages in them. I asked Piers what they were, and he explained that he and a group of writers who began at about the same time--a group that included Robert Silverberg, Roger Zelazny, and others--would sometimes send one another carbons of the original manuscripts of their stories so that each of them could see how the editors had changed the stories for publication. So not only did I have an incredible collection of SF magazines, but I also had copies of unaltered manuscripts of numerous short stories!
We packed box after box into the LTD, filling the trunk, the back seats, the back floorboard, and even the floor and front bench seat between Susan and me, leaving barely enough room for us to sit for the trip back. I don't think that LTD got much better than 10 miles per gallon on the drive back, since it was filled with about a half a ton of SF magazines.
We got years of reading enjoyment out of those magazines. By the early 2000s, when my interest in science fiction had waned, we decided it was time for the collection to find a new home with someone else who would enjoy it as much as we had. Between 2005 and 2008, we found fans eager to enjoy those magazines, and fulfilled our promise to Piers. And we never took a dime for them, just as he wouldn't take a dime from us when he gave them to us in April 1975.
And none of this would have happened had we not taken a chance with our very own review fanzine called Future Retrospective.
Just as I was preparing to quit my job and start my student teaching under the guidance of Mrs. Fincher at West Rome High School (yes, I ended up student teaching at the same school from which I had graduated less than four years earlier), Susan and I decided that this would be the perfect time to launch our own fanzine.
Future Retrospective. A review fanzine focusing primarily on SF & fantasy, but also touching on comics, fanzines, television, music, and more.
Susan and I had done apazines for years (small-circulation fanzines for amateur press alliances, which are shared with the other members of the apa in exchange for copies of their apazines), and we had written for other fanzines as well as for prolines like Jim Steranko's Mediascene. But FR was our first fanzine for mass (if 200 readers qualifies as "mass") distribution.
When you launch a new fanzine, you're throwing your work (and your money) into the void, hoping you get enough support, response, and (ideally) subscriptions to keep things going. So even with our tight budget, we launched Future Retrospective, printing it and mailing at out at our cost.
Apparently a lot of the people to who we sent the first issue liked it. Within a month, we had sufficient subscription support to cover the cost of the first issue and next few--and even better, we had overwhelmingly positive support from kind members of the professional writing community. Piers Anthony, Michael Bishop, Thomas Burnett Swann, Joe Green, Andre Norton--they all sent in letters in response to the first issue. And having material from them in the second issue (where we published those letters of comment) generated even more subscription and letter support.
We followed the same model that a fan named Dick Geis had used in his fanzine The Alien Critic, mixing reviews and letters of comment rather than having a selection of letters at the end of the fanzine. It sometimes resulted in odd juxtapositions--a letter of comment from Piers Anthony appearing just before a review of a new Piers Anthony novel--but I think the format was a part of FR's success. People enjoyed seeing commentary from acclaimed professional writers alongside reviews, and the mixture made readers more likely to read everything in the issue.
We got interesting commentary from Thomas Burnett Swann, an erudite, scholarly, and refined writer of mythologically-influenced fantasy who revealed that he was also a longtime Edgar Rice Burroughs fan, and that if he had his way Jeff Jones would do the covers for every one of his books. We got a letter from Andre Norton revealing that, while she never planned to write another Time Agents novel, she actually had plans for the cast that could have filled multiple volumes. Or both Piers Anthony and Thomas Burnett Swann agreeing with Susan that most female protagonists in science fiction were unrealistic portrayals of women. Or Piers revealing that, while he had written a disaster novel called Rings of Ice that was set in part in North Georgia (and he even ran parts of that novel past Susan and me to make sure he got the setting right), he actually didn't even like disaster novels. We would even cross paths with veteran Weird Tales greats like Frank Belknap Long, Mary Elizabeth Counselman, and E. Hoffman Price, which was a dream come true for an Arkham collector like me.
This was early 1975. There was no internet, no social media. Fanzines were the only way most fans ever interacted with the authors whose work they enjoyed. So these letters, filled with insights and revelations into the authors attitudes and ideas and motivations, were the sort of thing that fanzine readers loved. As did Susan and I.
Future Retrospective would run 17 issues, wrapping up in 1979. Susan and I loved doing it, but our lives kept expanding to fill every available moment, and eventually our time as SF reviewers came to an end. But for the four and a half years that we did the fanzine, we sold lots of copies (the print run on the final issue was 650 copies), and we even won a Rebel Award for outstanding fan achievement in Southern SF fandom--and Future Retrospective was cited in the award presentation.
What I loved most, though, were the lifelong friendships that came out of it. We were invited to visit some of these authors at their homes. We became close friends with fan artists and writers who eagerly contributed to our fanzine.
And one of those friendships, which lasted for many years, was with Piers Anthony Jacob, who wrote under the name Piers Anthony. Our correspondence led to Piers inviting us to visit him at his home in Tampa--and it culminated in an offer so generous that I still find it hard to believe.
Piers, Susan and I often discussed the contents of SF magazines, and how many of SF's biggest names no longer contributed to the magazines the way they did in the 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s. Piers mentioned how much he loved SF magazines when he was a fan and a beginning writer, adding that he had thousands of magazines going back to the 1940s.
Then he asked if we wanted them.
Of course we wanted them! This was an incredible library of magazines including Astounding/Analog, Fantasy and Science Fiction, Galaxy, If, Amazing, Fantastic, and many more--and Piers was willing to give them to us!
There were two requirements. First, we would have to drive down to his house to pick them up. Secondly, we had to promise that we would never sell them--if we lost interest in SF magazines, we would have to find an eager recipient to whom we would pass them on.
Our two cars were Volkswagens, neither of which could hold even a fraction of the magazines he was offering. My parents, however, had a Ford LTD that was one of those land yachts that had plenty of space. They were willing to let us borrow their car for the trip.
Arranging the time off turned out to be far less tricky than I thought it would be. Piers wanted them to go away fairly quickly, so he asked if we could pick them up in March or April of 1975. Thankfully, I had two days off from student teaching in early April, so we headed off to Florida.
Piers and Cam (his wife) were incredibly kind hosts, spending an afternoon swapping stories and filing us in about the early days of his writing career. His daughters Penny and Cheryl were kind enough to pick blackberries for all of to snack on while we were chatting. After a while, Piers said, "These are the largest blackberries I've ever seen. Where did you find them?" To which his daughters replied, "They grow really big over at the cemetery!" We looked at each other for a moment, then looked warily at the blackberries--but we figured we had eaten most of them by that point, so with a "why not?" grin, Piers ate the next to the last blackberry and offered the final one to me.
As for the magazines--the collection was even larger than I anticipated. And best of all, many of the magazines had carbon copy pages in them. I asked Piers what they were, and he explained that he and a group of writers who began at about the same time--a group that included Robert Silverberg, Roger Zelazny, and others--would sometimes send one another carbons of the original manuscripts of their stories so that each of them could see how the editors had changed the stories for publication. So not only did I have an incredible collection of SF magazines, but I also had copies of unaltered manuscripts of numerous short stories!
We packed box after box into the LTD, filling the trunk, the back seats, the back floorboard, and even the floor and front bench seat between Susan and me, leaving barely enough room for us to sit for the trip back. I don't think that LTD got much better than 10 miles per gallon on the drive back, since it was filled with about a half a ton of SF magazines.
We got years of reading enjoyment out of those magazines. By the early 2000s, when my interest in science fiction had waned, we decided it was time for the collection to find a new home with someone else who would enjoy it as much as we had. Between 2005 and 2008, we found fans eager to enjoy those magazines, and fulfilled our promise to Piers. And we never took a dime for them, just as he wouldn't take a dime from us when he gave them to us in April 1975.
And none of this would have happened had we not taken a chance with our very own review fanzine called Future Retrospective.
Saturday, May 09, 2020
Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 5/11/1970 to 5/17/1970
West Rome's pizza war between Pizza Inn (just past the high school on Shorter Avenue) and Village Inn (near the intersection of Shorter Avenue and Burnett Ferry Road) continued to heat up. Pizza Inn cut the price for their one-time medium pizza to 97¢, while Village Inn began offering cartoons, features, and movies from 5pm to 8pm, so that the family could be entertained while eating pizza. Village Inn was also touting their $1.79 pizza and salad buffet.
This week in 1970, Rome installed new, more powerful pumps to boost water pressure and ensure adequate water supply for residents of West Rome and those living off Alabama Road. The problem had become so severe in Fair Oaks Estates and Beech Creek that Rome and Floyd County had been forced to curtail new construction until the water supply issue was resolved.
Roy Goolsby joined Rome City Schools as assistant superintendent this week in 1970, coming here from Whitfield County. The board also tapped Sam Burrell, formerly principal at Main Elementary, to become assistant principal at West Rome Junior High School. The board also approved Nidk Hyder's request to increase the price of football tickets to $1.75 advance and $2 at the gate for adults.
Hank Williams Jr. came to the Rome City Auditorium on Thursday, May 14th, as one of seven musical acts performing in the Country Shindig. Other artists included the Cheating Hearts, Diana Trask, the Drifting Cowboys (Hank Williams Sr's original recording band), Merle Kilgore, and a comedian who performed under the name the Duke of Paducah. The concert sold out at $3 and $4 per ticket.
Pretty much every store in Rome had markdowns for Rome Days, an annual sales festival that began on May 13th and continued through May 16th. Today the concept of a four-day celebration of local businesses might seem antiquated, but Rome Days was a big event in the 1960s and early 1970s, with some business owners reporting that it generated sales that rivaled the pre-Christmas rush.
Piggly Wiggly had chuck roast for 43¢ a pound, Morton cream pies for 25¢ each, and bananas for 8¢ a pound. A&P had fresh whole fryers for 27¢ a pound, Eight O'Clock coffee for 77¢ a pound, and red delicious apples for a dime each. Big Apple had sirloin steaks for 99¢ a pound, corn for 8¢ an ear, and Coke/Tab/Sprite/Fresca for 33¢ a carton plus deposit. Kroger had ground beef for 53¢ a pound, Farmbest ice cream for 79¢ a half-gallon, and tomatoes for 19¢ a pound. Couch's had country ham for $1.19 a pound, Chef Boy-ar-dee spaghetti & meatballs for 29¢ a can, and cucumbers for a dime each.
The cinematic week began with Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (starring Robert Redford) at the DeSoto Theatre, What Do You Say to a Naked Lady? (an X-Rated Candid Camera film hosted by Alan Funt) at the First Avenue, The Lawyer (starring Barry Newman) at the Village, and If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (starring Suzanne Pleshette) at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switch out brought The Magic Christian (starring Peter Sellers & Ringo Starr, with music by Badfinger and others) to the DeSoto, Vixen (an X-rated Russ Meyer film starring Erica Gavin) to the First Avenue, The Molly Maguires (starring Richard Harris & Sean Connery) to the Village, and Invasion of the Animal People (with John Carradine) West Rome Drive-In.
The Guess Who held on to the number one slot this week in 1970 with "American Woman." Other top ten hits included "ABC" by the Jackson 5 (#2); "Vehicle" by the Ides of March (#3); "Let It Be" by the Beatles (#4); "Cecilia" by Simon & Garfunkel (#5); "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum (#6); "Everything Is Beautiful" by Ray Stevens (#7); "Turn Back the Hands of Time" by Tyrone Davis (#8); "Up Around the Bend/Run Through the Jungle" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#9); and "Reflections of My Life" by Marmalade (#10).
If you couldn't be there, you could at least pretend: Woodstock—Music from the Original Soundtrack and More, a sprawling triple-LP with a foldout jacket, was released this week in 1970. While not every artist who appeared at the 1969 festival was represented on the album, most of the biggest names were present, including Crosby, Stills, & Nash; Richie Havens; Jimi Hendrix; The Who; Country Joe and the Fish; and many others. This was also the week when Randy Bachman chose to leave the Guess Who (who happened to have the number one song this week in 1970) to start his own group, Brave Belt. The new act went nowhere, but the members would eventually form another band, Bachman Turner Overdrive, that found much more success.
Get Smart, Buck Henry's spy spoof starring Don Adams and Barbara Feldon, ended its five season television run this week in 1970.
This week in 1970, Rome installed new, more powerful pumps to boost water pressure and ensure adequate water supply for residents of West Rome and those living off Alabama Road. The problem had become so severe in Fair Oaks Estates and Beech Creek that Rome and Floyd County had been forced to curtail new construction until the water supply issue was resolved.
Roy Goolsby joined Rome City Schools as assistant superintendent this week in 1970, coming here from Whitfield County. The board also tapped Sam Burrell, formerly principal at Main Elementary, to become assistant principal at West Rome Junior High School. The board also approved Nidk Hyder's request to increase the price of football tickets to $1.75 advance and $2 at the gate for adults.
Hank Williams Jr. came to the Rome City Auditorium on Thursday, May 14th, as one of seven musical acts performing in the Country Shindig. Other artists included the Cheating Hearts, Diana Trask, the Drifting Cowboys (Hank Williams Sr's original recording band), Merle Kilgore, and a comedian who performed under the name the Duke of Paducah. The concert sold out at $3 and $4 per ticket.
Pretty much every store in Rome had markdowns for Rome Days, an annual sales festival that began on May 13th and continued through May 16th. Today the concept of a four-day celebration of local businesses might seem antiquated, but Rome Days was a big event in the 1960s and early 1970s, with some business owners reporting that it generated sales that rivaled the pre-Christmas rush.
Piggly Wiggly had chuck roast for 43¢ a pound, Morton cream pies for 25¢ each, and bananas for 8¢ a pound. A&P had fresh whole fryers for 27¢ a pound, Eight O'Clock coffee for 77¢ a pound, and red delicious apples for a dime each. Big Apple had sirloin steaks for 99¢ a pound, corn for 8¢ an ear, and Coke/Tab/Sprite/Fresca for 33¢ a carton plus deposit. Kroger had ground beef for 53¢ a pound, Farmbest ice cream for 79¢ a half-gallon, and tomatoes for 19¢ a pound. Couch's had country ham for $1.19 a pound, Chef Boy-ar-dee spaghetti & meatballs for 29¢ a can, and cucumbers for a dime each.
The cinematic week began with Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (starring Robert Redford) at the DeSoto Theatre, What Do You Say to a Naked Lady? (an X-Rated Candid Camera film hosted by Alan Funt) at the First Avenue, The Lawyer (starring Barry Newman) at the Village, and If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (starring Suzanne Pleshette) at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switch out brought The Magic Christian (starring Peter Sellers & Ringo Starr, with music by Badfinger and others) to the DeSoto, Vixen (an X-rated Russ Meyer film starring Erica Gavin) to the First Avenue, The Molly Maguires (starring Richard Harris & Sean Connery) to the Village, and Invasion of the Animal People (with John Carradine) West Rome Drive-In.
The Guess Who held on to the number one slot this week in 1970 with "American Woman." Other top ten hits included "ABC" by the Jackson 5 (#2); "Vehicle" by the Ides of March (#3); "Let It Be" by the Beatles (#4); "Cecilia" by Simon & Garfunkel (#5); "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum (#6); "Everything Is Beautiful" by Ray Stevens (#7); "Turn Back the Hands of Time" by Tyrone Davis (#8); "Up Around the Bend/Run Through the Jungle" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#9); and "Reflections of My Life" by Marmalade (#10).
If you couldn't be there, you could at least pretend: Woodstock—Music from the Original Soundtrack and More, a sprawling triple-LP with a foldout jacket, was released this week in 1970. While not every artist who appeared at the 1969 festival was represented on the album, most of the biggest names were present, including Crosby, Stills, & Nash; Richie Havens; Jimi Hendrix; The Who; Country Joe and the Fish; and many others. This was also the week when Randy Bachman chose to leave the Guess Who (who happened to have the number one song this week in 1970) to start his own group, Brave Belt. The new act went nowhere, but the members would eventually form another band, Bachman Turner Overdrive, that found much more success.
Get Smart, Buck Henry's spy spoof starring Don Adams and Barbara Feldon, ended its five season television run this week in 1970.
Saturday, May 02, 2020
Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 5/4/1970 to 5/10/1970
Debbie Shelnutt was chosen as Miss West Rome Senior High and David Watkins was chosen as Mr. West Rome Senior High at the 1970 production of Chieftain Acts, directed by Mrs. Clara Ellison. Lisa Stephenson was selected as Miss West Rome Junior High, while Gary Investor was a tapped as Mr. West Rome Junior High.
West Rome placed several Student Council officers in positions of authority at the Georgia Association of Student Councils, including Tommy Muse, convention chairman; Jessica Gittins, corresponding secretary; Nancy Corlew, treasurer; Annie Diprima, recording secretary; and Tom Glad, co-treasurer.
A pair of check forgers were arrested after trying to pass a fraudulent check at the Big Apple grocery store in West Rome. The pair had broken into a Cave Spring wood processing facility and stolen blank checks, which they were trying to pass in various stores in Rome before an alert grocery store manager noticed something odd.
A shootout between two neighbors on Division Street left one man dead and one man hospitalized. The survivor, Bobby McGahee, refused to say what started the altercation that left Albert Simpkins dead.
Sheriff Joe Adams said that he was holding off on further arrests at the West Rome Big K for violation of Sunday blue law ordinances until the court rules on the initial case and arrest from March of 1970. While he had originally said he would make a new case every Sunday, Sheriff Adams said "there is no sense in making cases against all these businessmen if the big managers continue to opinion Sunday anyway."
Rome unemployment inched up slightly in May of 1970, climbing from 3.5% to 3.9%. Georgia Labor Commissioner Sam Caldwell blamed the federal government's Job Corps program for the increase, saying that it had failed to create jobs, but had eaten up a lot of money that had previously gone to subsidize new hires.
Romans eager for a Southwestern vacation could travel to Arizona and Mexico for three days and three nights for only $79.95 each including hotels, air fair, tours, and more. Vacationers would leave Rome for Tucson, Arizona, where they would spend one day and one night; they would go on to Nogales, Mexico for the second day and night; and then they would return to Tucson for the final day and night before flying back to Atlanta on the morning of the fourth day. The $79.95 per person covered air fare, transportation from Rome to the airport, sightseeing fees, accommodations, meals, and more.
The West Rome pizza war between Village Inn and Pizza Inn heated up with Pizza Inn's addition of a lunch buffet for only $1.15, which included all the salad and pizza you could eat; drinks were 25¢ extra.
Piggly Wiggly had beef liver for 59¢ a pound, tomatoes for 29¢ a pound, and medium eggs for 29¢ a dozen. Kroger had sirloin steak for $1.08 a pound, strawberries for 29¢ a pint, and Morton frozen dinners for 32¢ each. A&P had Swiss steak for 85¢ a pound, peaches for 33¢ a pound, and Nabisco vanilla wafers for 23¢ a box. Big Apple had leg o' lamb for 89¢ a pound, Parkay margarine for 39¢ a pound, and cabbage for 9¢ a pound. Couch's had pork roast for 59¢ a pound, Aristocrat ice milk for 39¢ a half-gallon, and yellow corn for a dime an ear.
The cinematic week began with Marooned (starring Gregory Peck) at the DeSoto Theatre, The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County (starring Dan Blocker) at the First Avenue, Midnight Cowboy (starring Dustin Hoffman & Jon Voight) at the Village Theatre, and On Her Majesty's Secret Service (starring George Lazenby in his one and only feature appearance as James Bond) at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switch out brought Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (starring Robert Redford) to the DeSoto, What Do You Say to a Naked Lady (a Candid Camera feature film hosted by Alan Funt) to the First Avenue, The Lawyer (starring Barry Newman) to the Village, and DeSade (starring Keir Dullea) to the West Rome Drive-In.
The Guess Who held on to the number one slot this week in 1966 with "American Woman." Other top ten hits included "ABC" by the Jackson 5 (#2); "Vehicle" by the Ides of March (#3); "Let It Be" by the Beatles (#4); "Cecilia" by Simon & Garfunkel (#5); "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum (#6); "Everything Is Beautiful" by Ray Stevens (#7); "Turn Back the Hands of Time" by Tyrone Davis (#8); "Up Around the Bend" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#9); and "Reflections of My Life" by the Marmalade (#10).
Why a week this was for albums. The number one album this week in 1970 was Deja Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. Other top ten albums included Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel (#2); McCartney by Paul McCartney (#3); Hey Jude (also known as The Beatles Again) by the Beatles (#4); Band of Gypsys by Jimi Hendrix the Band of Gypsys (#5); Chicago II by Chicago (#6); Steppenwolf Live by Steppenwolf (#7); It Ain't Easy by Three Dog Night (#8); American Woman by the Guess Who (#9); and Here Comes Bobby by Bobby Sherman (#10... well, they can't all be winners!).
Let It Be, the final Beatles album prior to the group's breakup, was released this week in 1970.
West Rome placed several Student Council officers in positions of authority at the Georgia Association of Student Councils, including Tommy Muse, convention chairman; Jessica Gittins, corresponding secretary; Nancy Corlew, treasurer; Annie Diprima, recording secretary; and Tom Glad, co-treasurer.
A pair of check forgers were arrested after trying to pass a fraudulent check at the Big Apple grocery store in West Rome. The pair had broken into a Cave Spring wood processing facility and stolen blank checks, which they were trying to pass in various stores in Rome before an alert grocery store manager noticed something odd.
A shootout between two neighbors on Division Street left one man dead and one man hospitalized. The survivor, Bobby McGahee, refused to say what started the altercation that left Albert Simpkins dead.
Sheriff Joe Adams said that he was holding off on further arrests at the West Rome Big K for violation of Sunday blue law ordinances until the court rules on the initial case and arrest from March of 1970. While he had originally said he would make a new case every Sunday, Sheriff Adams said "there is no sense in making cases against all these businessmen if the big managers continue to opinion Sunday anyway."
Rome unemployment inched up slightly in May of 1970, climbing from 3.5% to 3.9%. Georgia Labor Commissioner Sam Caldwell blamed the federal government's Job Corps program for the increase, saying that it had failed to create jobs, but had eaten up a lot of money that had previously gone to subsidize new hires.
Romans eager for a Southwestern vacation could travel to Arizona and Mexico for three days and three nights for only $79.95 each including hotels, air fair, tours, and more. Vacationers would leave Rome for Tucson, Arizona, where they would spend one day and one night; they would go on to Nogales, Mexico for the second day and night; and then they would return to Tucson for the final day and night before flying back to Atlanta on the morning of the fourth day. The $79.95 per person covered air fare, transportation from Rome to the airport, sightseeing fees, accommodations, meals, and more.
The West Rome pizza war between Village Inn and Pizza Inn heated up with Pizza Inn's addition of a lunch buffet for only $1.15, which included all the salad and pizza you could eat; drinks were 25¢ extra.
Piggly Wiggly had beef liver for 59¢ a pound, tomatoes for 29¢ a pound, and medium eggs for 29¢ a dozen. Kroger had sirloin steak for $1.08 a pound, strawberries for 29¢ a pint, and Morton frozen dinners for 32¢ each. A&P had Swiss steak for 85¢ a pound, peaches for 33¢ a pound, and Nabisco vanilla wafers for 23¢ a box. Big Apple had leg o' lamb for 89¢ a pound, Parkay margarine for 39¢ a pound, and cabbage for 9¢ a pound. Couch's had pork roast for 59¢ a pound, Aristocrat ice milk for 39¢ a half-gallon, and yellow corn for a dime an ear.
The cinematic week began with Marooned (starring Gregory Peck) at the DeSoto Theatre, The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County (starring Dan Blocker) at the First Avenue, Midnight Cowboy (starring Dustin Hoffman & Jon Voight) at the Village Theatre, and On Her Majesty's Secret Service (starring George Lazenby in his one and only feature appearance as James Bond) at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switch out brought Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (starring Robert Redford) to the DeSoto, What Do You Say to a Naked Lady (a Candid Camera feature film hosted by Alan Funt) to the First Avenue, The Lawyer (starring Barry Newman) to the Village, and DeSade (starring Keir Dullea) to the West Rome Drive-In.
The Guess Who held on to the number one slot this week in 1966 with "American Woman." Other top ten hits included "ABC" by the Jackson 5 (#2); "Vehicle" by the Ides of March (#3); "Let It Be" by the Beatles (#4); "Cecilia" by Simon & Garfunkel (#5); "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum (#6); "Everything Is Beautiful" by Ray Stevens (#7); "Turn Back the Hands of Time" by Tyrone Davis (#8); "Up Around the Bend" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#9); and "Reflections of My Life" by the Marmalade (#10).
Why a week this was for albums. The number one album this week in 1970 was Deja Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. Other top ten albums included Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel (#2); McCartney by Paul McCartney (#3); Hey Jude (also known as The Beatles Again) by the Beatles (#4); Band of Gypsys by Jimi Hendrix the Band of Gypsys (#5); Chicago II by Chicago (#6); Steppenwolf Live by Steppenwolf (#7); It Ain't Easy by Three Dog Night (#8); American Woman by the Guess Who (#9); and Here Comes Bobby by Bobby Sherman (#10... well, they can't all be winners!).
Let It Be, the final Beatles album prior to the group's breakup, was released this week in 1970.
Saturday, April 18, 2020
A Life in Four Colors Part Fifty-Seven
Early on, Susan and I had made a plan: I would take advantage of my academic scholarship at Berry College to get my degree, also working part-time while Susan worked full-time. Once I completed my degree, I would get a job and work full-time while Susan would go back to school.
Susan always said that going back to school seemed like an impossible dream. She was the first person in her family to graduate from high school, but she assumed that would mark the end of her education. It wasn't that her grades weren't adequate--they were. Susan was brilliant, in fact. But her family had pressured her to take a job as soon as possible to add to the family's meager income, and she acquiesced, going to work in the payroll department of the Arrow Shirt Factory. She worked there until my graduation from Berry in 1975, and her paycheck covered most of our living expenses for those four years. I worked twenty to thirty hours a week to supplement our income, but I earned less per hour than she did. Nevertheless, we had a plan, and we were going to make it work.
The spring quarter of 1975 (Berry was on the quarter system then, not the semester system) presented us with a major challenge. I had decided that I wanted to be a teacher, and part of that process required that I student teach for a quarter. Berry College did not allow its student teachers to work while actively student teaching, which meant that we were going to have to get by for twelve weeks with only Susan's income.
Susan and I were always planners, and that's what saved us. Beginning in September before I started student teaching in March, we cut our "fun budget" to almost nothing, squirreling away all the cash we might have spent on comics, books, and record albums. We limited ourselves to only one modest Christmas present for the other. We curtailed our usual trips to Cumberland Mall in Marietta. The frugal living paid off: by the time the spring quarter began, we actually had saved enough money to get us through on Susan's income until the fall, when I would start teaching.
Two things altered our plans--one good and one bad.
The good thing? It turned out that, since I had a teaching contract to start in mid-August, few employers were looking to hire me in mid-June (after I graduated from Berry) for an eight-week period. At the time, Georgia' unemployment law allowed me to receive a modest unemployment check every week for that eight-week period. I had no idea that was possible; it was my faculty advisor at Berry who had suggested I check into it. My unemployment was only $54 a week--but that was $54 a week we hadn't expected to have. We thought we were rich!
Thankfully, we didn't spend all that money. Our first big expenditure that summer was the lumber necessary for me to build a set of bookshelves for our living room. They were humble bookshelves, built meticulously to a plan that allotted so many shelves for standard sized hardcovers, so many for paperbacks, and so many for oversized books. The two units were four feet wide; one was eight feet tall, the other four feet tall. (That allowed us to decorate above the shorter unit.) I had plenty of time that summer since I wasn't working, so I devoted almost a week to assembling, sanding, staining, restaining, and sealing those shelves. I still have them in the basement; we both loved those shelves, and never dreamed of replacing them. Those shelves took almost $100 for high-quality white oak lumber plus the necessary stain, sealant, nails, screws, and other supplies.
That was pretty much two weeks' unemployment, but we still had six weeks of other checks to supplement our budget. So we decided to splurge again and buy our first brand-new furniture in four years: a green and white clad swivel rocker and sofa set for our living room. The cost was $240, which was almost five weeks worth of unemployment checks. We debated long and hard on that, but we really wanted to replace the worn-out fold-out sleeper sofa in our living room, with its torn upholstery and lumpy mattress, and Susan said both the sofa and chair were just the right height. At only 5'2", she discovered that a lot of sofas and chairs had such deep seats that she either had to sit on the edge of the seat or her feet stuck out awkwardly if she leaned all the way back. We never got rid of the sofa and chair, either. In the 1990s, we had the worn upholstery refinished in a Southwestern fabric; Susan continued to use the chair until 2018, when she finally replaced it with a power recliner that brought her some relief from the disabling pain of a chronic illness; the chair was moved to the master bedroom, where it still sits today. The sofa? It's in the finished basement, where it has been since 2000.)
Our living room looked great (well, it looked great to us, at least)--and we were able to pay for everything without financing. We thought we were ahead of plan as far as our budget was concerned.
Remember that bad thing I mentioned?
Well, what I didn't know was that, while teachers started teaching in early August, first-year teachers didn't get their first paycheck until the last weekday in September. We had assumed that I would get some small check at the end of August, since I would have been working for three weeks by that time.
We assumed wrong.
As I said, we hadn't spent all the money: we had one unemployment check in the bank, along with the money we had saved over the fall and winter to get us through the spring and summer. It was a good thing we didn't fully restore our fun money budget: if we had, September 1975 would have been the first month in our married lives when we would have had to ask my parents to loan us money for living expenses--something we really didn't want to do, even though my parents would have undoubtedly helped us out with a loan.
I never forgot the dismay I felt when I learned that I would not get a check for seven and a half weeks after I started teaching. (Years later, when I became the guy who wrote the paychecks for Dr. No's Comics & Games, I said I would never make my employees face that sort of dismay. I have always paid my employees without a weekly hold-back, distributing paychecks on Monday that included all hours worked through the Sunday one day earlier. I still do that today; I don't want any co-worker at my store to struggle to cover the bills while waiting for a paycheck for work done a week earlier.)
We learned about the value of budgeting. We developed spaghetti and meat sauce recipes with double the spaghetti and a little less meat sauce. Our homemade soups were a little thinner. Our homemade chili had a lot more beans in it. We became regular shoppers at the Sunbeam Bread day-old outlet store in Cedartown. But we got through. And we were ready to begin phase two of our plan when Susan was accepted in Coosa Valley Tech's data processing program in September.
Susan always said that going back to school seemed like an impossible dream. She was the first person in her family to graduate from high school, but she assumed that would mark the end of her education. It wasn't that her grades weren't adequate--they were. Susan was brilliant, in fact. But her family had pressured her to take a job as soon as possible to add to the family's meager income, and she acquiesced, going to work in the payroll department of the Arrow Shirt Factory. She worked there until my graduation from Berry in 1975, and her paycheck covered most of our living expenses for those four years. I worked twenty to thirty hours a week to supplement our income, but I earned less per hour than she did. Nevertheless, we had a plan, and we were going to make it work.
The spring quarter of 1975 (Berry was on the quarter system then, not the semester system) presented us with a major challenge. I had decided that I wanted to be a teacher, and part of that process required that I student teach for a quarter. Berry College did not allow its student teachers to work while actively student teaching, which meant that we were going to have to get by for twelve weeks with only Susan's income.
Susan and I were always planners, and that's what saved us. Beginning in September before I started student teaching in March, we cut our "fun budget" to almost nothing, squirreling away all the cash we might have spent on comics, books, and record albums. We limited ourselves to only one modest Christmas present for the other. We curtailed our usual trips to Cumberland Mall in Marietta. The frugal living paid off: by the time the spring quarter began, we actually had saved enough money to get us through on Susan's income until the fall, when I would start teaching.
Two things altered our plans--one good and one bad.
The good thing? It turned out that, since I had a teaching contract to start in mid-August, few employers were looking to hire me in mid-June (after I graduated from Berry) for an eight-week period. At the time, Georgia' unemployment law allowed me to receive a modest unemployment check every week for that eight-week period. I had no idea that was possible; it was my faculty advisor at Berry who had suggested I check into it. My unemployment was only $54 a week--but that was $54 a week we hadn't expected to have. We thought we were rich!
Thankfully, we didn't spend all that money. Our first big expenditure that summer was the lumber necessary for me to build a set of bookshelves for our living room. They were humble bookshelves, built meticulously to a plan that allotted so many shelves for standard sized hardcovers, so many for paperbacks, and so many for oversized books. The two units were four feet wide; one was eight feet tall, the other four feet tall. (That allowed us to decorate above the shorter unit.) I had plenty of time that summer since I wasn't working, so I devoted almost a week to assembling, sanding, staining, restaining, and sealing those shelves. I still have them in the basement; we both loved those shelves, and never dreamed of replacing them. Those shelves took almost $100 for high-quality white oak lumber plus the necessary stain, sealant, nails, screws, and other supplies.
 |
| Me sitting in our new chair with our bookshelves next to me |
Our living room looked great (well, it looked great to us, at least)--and we were able to pay for everything without financing. We thought we were ahead of plan as far as our budget was concerned.
 |
| Susan sitting in the "just-the-right-size" swivel rocker |
Remember that bad thing I mentioned?
Well, what I didn't know was that, while teachers started teaching in early August, first-year teachers didn't get their first paycheck until the last weekday in September. We had assumed that I would get some small check at the end of August, since I would have been working for three weeks by that time.
We assumed wrong.
As I said, we hadn't spent all the money: we had one unemployment check in the bank, along with the money we had saved over the fall and winter to get us through the spring and summer. It was a good thing we didn't fully restore our fun money budget: if we had, September 1975 would have been the first month in our married lives when we would have had to ask my parents to loan us money for living expenses--something we really didn't want to do, even though my parents would have undoubtedly helped us out with a loan.
I never forgot the dismay I felt when I learned that I would not get a check for seven and a half weeks after I started teaching. (Years later, when I became the guy who wrote the paychecks for Dr. No's Comics & Games, I said I would never make my employees face that sort of dismay. I have always paid my employees without a weekly hold-back, distributing paychecks on Monday that included all hours worked through the Sunday one day earlier. I still do that today; I don't want any co-worker at my store to struggle to cover the bills while waiting for a paycheck for work done a week earlier.)
We learned about the value of budgeting. We developed spaghetti and meat sauce recipes with double the spaghetti and a little less meat sauce. Our homemade soups were a little thinner. Our homemade chili had a lot more beans in it. We became regular shoppers at the Sunbeam Bread day-old outlet store in Cedartown. But we got through. And we were ready to begin phase two of our plan when Susan was accepted in Coosa Valley Tech's data processing program in September.
Tuesday, April 07, 2020
7305 Days
It's April 7th, 2020--the twentieth anniversary of the night that I died.
I still remember every detail so vividly that it's hard for me to believe that it's been twenty years now. 11:35 PM--I was about to go to bed when I had an intense pain that began in my neck and jaw and rapidly expanded to encompass my chest and shoulder as well. I knew that whatever this was, it was more intense than anything I had ever felt before. On a hunch, I checked my blood pressure and discovered that it was extremely high at 170/110 (and I normally have low blood pressure), and my heart rate had skyrocketed to 150 bpm.
I walked down the hall to the upstairs library, where Susan was watching television. "I think I'm having a heart attack."
For a second, she thought I was joking--then she looked at my face and knew I wasn't. She told me later that she had never seen me more ashen than I was right then, and she was certain I was correct.
I went downstairs to the kitchen, carrying the blood pressure cuff with me to see if things might improve. Susan called 911. We live less than a mile from a fire station, so EMTs responded in a matter of minutes.
Their tests showed absolutely nothing wrong. "We think it's just bad indigestion," they said to me. I told them I was positive that it was not. They checked again. Still nothing wrong.
Then, to make my point for me, my heart decided to quit beating.
Susan told me later that the EMTs looked at me in surprise, then began to get the defibrillators. As they did, one of them looked at Susan and said, "He'll do anything to prove he's right, won't he?" She said in spite of the absolute terror she was feeling right then, she couldn't help but laugh.
They were unable to start my heart after two tries in the house. They rolled me out to the ambulance and continued to work on me. Accoding to the paramedic, after six minutes had passed, he wasn't sure how many more times he should try, fearing brain damage from lack of oxygen. He tried once more. Nothing. Then, unwilling to give up, he tried yet again 6 minutes and 40 seconds after my heart had stopped.
My heart started to beat.
I remember waking up feeling relieved that the pain wasn't as severe, but I wasn't sure where I was. The EMT told me what had happened. He told me not to be afraid because we were almost at the hospital.
I wasn't afraid. I was actually very calm. I had no vivid memories of bright lights or tunnels or anything like that, but from that point on I have never feared death--whatever happened that night left me certain that death wasn't the end of everything.
When they got me to the cardiac intensive care unit, they did various things to stabilize me. Susan got there just a moment or two later, having followed the ambulance. She was overwhelmed with fear and anguish, not even sure if she would ever see me alive again. I smiled when she came in and held out my hand. She took it and wouldn't let go until they told her they had to take me away for a little while.
I asked if there was a phone I could use before they did. I guess they thought I was going to call a family member and let them know what happened, so they got a phone for me.
I called Brett. "Pick up quarters tomorrow morning for the store," I told him. "I had a heart attack and they won't let me do it."
The days after that brought a series of tests, followed by the news that I had suffered a major heart attack with significant damage and major surgery was necessary. They told us that I had a 30% chance of survival until surgery, and they warned Susan that there was a significant chance I would not recover from the surgery.
I was determined to prove them wrong. And when I did survive the surgery and they told me what I would need to do to get better, I promised Dr. Mike, my cardiologist, that I would be the most perfect cardiac patient he had ever treated if he would just keep me alive. (I also reminded him that I had never written down his comic book pull list at my store, where Dr. Mike had shopped every week for 18 years, and that if I died, no one would ever pull all the right books for him.)
Dr. Mike did his part, and I did mine. Twenty years later, I'm not only alive, but he tells me that I am the only patient he has ever had who has exercised every day for twenty years; who lost 70 pounds in the eight months after the heart attack and kept it off; who did all the stress tests without ever complaining, even when the computer glitched one time and I had to repeat the whole test; and of course, who has kept his promise to pull all the right books for him every week.
I keep a count of how many days I've been alive in what I call "my second life." 7305 days, and every one is a gift. I have tried to remember the koan of the strawberries and the tiger and have strived to find a good moment in every one of those days, even the ones that were overwhelmingly painful (my mother's death in 2002... my father's death in 2007... Susan's death last summer...).So many times, I have questioned if I am worthy of so precious a gift.
7305 days. And I am thankful for every one of them. Because without that gift, I couldn't have held mother's hand as she died. I wouldn't have gripped Dad's hand and wiped his brow as he slipped away. And I wouldn't have been there to whisper words of love and gratitude to Susan as I kissed her farewell when she left this world ahead of me on July 22nd.
How can I not appreciate a gift so precious?
Sunday, April 05, 2020
Fifty Years Ago This Week in 1970 - 4/6/1970 to 4/12/1970
The Chieftains defeated Cartersville, Pebblebrook, and Cass in a four-way meet at Cartersville on Wednesday, April 8th. Cjuc k Kinnebrew set a distance record for the discus with a throw of 150 feet 3.5 inches. Xaciver Smith took first place in high jump and low hurdles, while George Albert took first place in 440-yard dash and triple jump.
West Rome senior Sam Hancock took second place in the State Science Fair for his physics project, while freshman Gail Smitley took second place for her life science project.
Ken Stanton Music finally got its hearing before etch Rome Board of Education--and no surprise, the Board ruled in their own favor and decided they had acted properly in choosing The Music Room to run the band recruitment program will blocking Ken Stanton from being involved... or even being allowed onto school property in support of the band program.
This week in 1970, Rome adopted a new slogan: "Rome—A City in Motion"—and the new slogan was created by West Rome''s own Mrs. W.T. Atkins of Marchmont Drive, the mother of Todd and Kathy Atkins. Her slogan was chosen from among 625 entries submitted to the Chamber of Commerce.
West Rome celebrated its second pizza shop opening of 1970 as Pizza Inn held its grand opening this week in 1970. In case you forgot, Pizza Inn was just past West Rome High School--so close, in fact, that it was theoretically possible for West Rome students to sneak off campus and grab a quick pizza for lunch... not that any of us--err, them--would ever do that, of course. During grand opening week, Pizza Inn offered a medium pizza for only 97¢ (that was $1 exactly when you added in the sales tax, which was still 3% back in 1970).
Once again, civic leaders unveiled a plan to consolidate the city and the county, including the two separate school systems. The usual reasons were given to explain the benefits of the plan--reduced duplication of services, less jurisdictional confusion, etc.--and once again, nothing would ever come of it.
Jimmy Carter came to Rome this week in 1970 in his campaign for governor. He began with a 6am meeting at the gates of General Electric, followed by a press conference at 9am at the Holiday Inn. Later that day, he toured Broad Street businesses to meet and talk with mangers and staff.
The cinematic week began with The Only Game in Town (starring Warren Beatty and Elizabeth Taylor) at the DeSoto Theatre, Bloody Mama (starring Shelley Winters) at the Fist Avenue, The Computer Wore Tennios Shoes (starring Kurt Russell) at the Village, and The Reivers (starring Steve McQueen) at the West Rome Drive-In. The weekend switch out brought Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid (starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman) to the DeSoto, The Oblong Box (starring Vincent Price and Christopher Lee) to the First Avenue, Jenny (starring Marlo Thomas and Alan Arkin) to the Village, and Support Your Local Sheriff (starring James Garner) to the West Rome Drive-In.
The Beatles held on to number one for another week with "Let It Be." Other top ten hits included "ABC" by the Jackson 5 (#2); "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum (#3); "Instant Karma (We All Shine On" by John Lennon (#4); "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" say Edison Lighthouse (#5); "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon & Garfunkel (#6); "Come and Get It" by Badfinger (#7); "Love Or Let Me Be Lonely" by the Friends of Distinction (#8); "American Woman" by the Guess Who (#9); and "Up the Ladder to the Roof" by the Supremes (#10).
Paul McCartney announced the breakup of the Beatles this week in 1970, confirming something that had already been rumored in Rolling Stone and Creem magazine.
West Rome senior Sam Hancock took second place in the State Science Fair for his physics project, while freshman Gail Smitley took second place for her life science project.
This week in 1970, Rome adopted a new slogan: "Rome—A City in Motion"—and the new slogan was created by West Rome''s own Mrs. W.T. Atkins of Marchmont Drive, the mother of Todd and Kathy Atkins. Her slogan was chosen from among 625 entries submitted to the Chamber of Commerce.
West Rome celebrated its second pizza shop opening of 1970 as Pizza Inn held its grand opening this week in 1970. In case you forgot, Pizza Inn was just past West Rome High School--so close, in fact, that it was theoretically possible for West Rome students to sneak off campus and grab a quick pizza for lunch... not that any of us--err, them--would ever do that, of course. During grand opening week, Pizza Inn offered a medium pizza for only 97¢ (that was $1 exactly when you added in the sales tax, which was still 3% back in 1970).
Once again, civic leaders unveiled a plan to consolidate the city and the county, including the two separate school systems. The usual reasons were given to explain the benefits of the plan--reduced duplication of services, less jurisdictional confusion, etc.--and once again, nothing would ever come of it.
Jimmy Carter came to Rome this week in 1970 in his campaign for governor. He began with a 6am meeting at the gates of General Electric, followed by a press conference at 9am at the Holiday Inn. Later that day, he toured Broad Street businesses to meet and talk with mangers and staff.
The cinematic week began with The Only Game in Town (starring Warren Beatty and Elizabeth Taylor) at the DeSoto Theatre, Bloody Mama (starring Shelley Winters) at the Fist Avenue, The Computer Wore Tennios Shoes (starring Kurt Russell) at the Village, and The Reivers (starring Steve McQueen) at the West Rome Drive-In. The weekend switch out brought Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid (starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman) to the DeSoto, The Oblong Box (starring Vincent Price and Christopher Lee) to the First Avenue, Jenny (starring Marlo Thomas and Alan Arkin) to the Village, and Support Your Local Sheriff (starring James Garner) to the West Rome Drive-In.
The Beatles held on to number one for another week with "Let It Be." Other top ten hits included "ABC" by the Jackson 5 (#2); "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum (#3); "Instant Karma (We All Shine On" by John Lennon (#4); "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" say Edison Lighthouse (#5); "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon & Garfunkel (#6); "Come and Get It" by Badfinger (#7); "Love Or Let Me Be Lonely" by the Friends of Distinction (#8); "American Woman" by the Guess Who (#9); and "Up the Ladder to the Roof" by the Supremes (#10).
Paul McCartney announced the breakup of the Beatles this week in 1970, confirming something that had already been rumored in Rolling Stone and Creem magazine.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 3/23/1970 to 3/29/1970
Jesse Laseter was promoted from assistant susperintendent to the position of superintendent of schools this week in 1970. Laseter, who came to Rome in 1968, was the father of West Rome students Jody Laseter (then a sophomore) and Julie, a student at West End Elementary.
The dispute between Ken Stanton Music, The Music Room, and the Rome Board of Education was supposed to advance to the state-ordered hearing stage in response to Ken Stanton Music's appeal of a decision by the board of education to allow only the Music Room to conduct band recruitment programs in city schools. The board of education was scheduled to act as judges in the hearing, which seemed like a strange ruling since it meant that one of the defendants was judging the outcome of the trial, but the State Board of Education said that if Stanton was unhappy with the new hearing, he could again appeal and the next hearing would be adjudicated by the State Board itself. However, the hearing didn't actually take place; Rome School Board chairman W.B. Primm told attendees at the meeting that a problem with a court reporter's schedule required the change--but of course, this "problem" wasn't mentioned until an hour after the meeting was supposed to have started. The Board said the meeting would take place a week later, provided a court reporter could be present. Needless to say, representative for Ken Stanton Music were unhappy, feeling that the delay was little more than a stalling tactic.
West Rome's Martin Rollinson won the Rome Breakfast Optimist Club's annual Oratorical Contest on Monday night, March 23rd, at the Rome Boy's Club (Rollinson's second wind in a row). The contestants spoke on "Youth-Full Partners in a Better Tomorrow," and they were required to speak for a minimum of four minutes and a maximum of five minutes without any notes or aids. They were judged on delivery, speech content, and overall effectiveness. Rollinson advanced to the zone competition, which was scheduled for April in Cedartown.
West Rome's annual Green and White football game took place on Thursday, March 26th, and the White team won 14-13, thanks to a fourth-quarter touchdown by Allen Carrington and a successful point after kick by Randy Hatch.
Piggly Wiggly had hen turkeys for 39¢ a pound, Van Camp's chili for 29¢ a can, and five pounds of grapefruit for 59¢. Kroger had ground beef for 53¢ a pound, sweet potatoes for 12¢ a pound, and Sealtest ice cream for 55¢ a half-gallon. Big Apple had rib roast for 89¢ a pound, apples for 16¢ a pound, and a five-pound bag of frozen french fries for 69¢. A&P had sirloin steak for $1.19 a pound, Hormel Vienna sausages for a dime a can, and carrots for a dime a bag. Couch's had chicken breast for 59¢ a pound, Nabisco vanilla wafers for 39¢ a box, and Van Camp's pork & beans for 15¢ a can.
The cinematic week began with The Secret of Santa Vittoria (starring Anthony Quinn) at the DeSoto Theatre, Fanny Hill (an X-rated Danish film) at the First Avenue, They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (starring Jane Fonda) at the Village, and Those Were the Happy Times (starring Julie Andrews) at the West Rome Drive-In. The weekend switch out brought The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (starring Kurt Russell) to the DeSoto and The Undefeated (starring John Wayne and Rock Hudson) to the West Rome Drive-In, whole They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and Fanny Hill hung around at the First Avenue and the Village, respectively.
Jimi Hendrix said farewell to the Experience and hello the the Band of Gypsys this week in 1970. Band of Gypsys, the one-and-only album by Hendrix, Billy Cox, and Buddy Miles, was also the last Hendrix album release prior to his death. This was also release week for Leon Russell's eponymous first album and Ringo Starr's Sentimental Journey, a strange album of cover versions of old standards that was also the first full studio album by any solo Beatle. The album featured Starr singing and assortment of his mother's favorite old songs; he even let her and the rest of the family choose the tracks.
The dispute between Ken Stanton Music, The Music Room, and the Rome Board of Education was supposed to advance to the state-ordered hearing stage in response to Ken Stanton Music's appeal of a decision by the board of education to allow only the Music Room to conduct band recruitment programs in city schools. The board of education was scheduled to act as judges in the hearing, which seemed like a strange ruling since it meant that one of the defendants was judging the outcome of the trial, but the State Board of Education said that if Stanton was unhappy with the new hearing, he could again appeal and the next hearing would be adjudicated by the State Board itself. However, the hearing didn't actually take place; Rome School Board chairman W.B. Primm told attendees at the meeting that a problem with a court reporter's schedule required the change--but of course, this "problem" wasn't mentioned until an hour after the meeting was supposed to have started. The Board said the meeting would take place a week later, provided a court reporter could be present. Needless to say, representative for Ken Stanton Music were unhappy, feeling that the delay was little more than a stalling tactic.
West Rome's Martin Rollinson won the Rome Breakfast Optimist Club's annual Oratorical Contest on Monday night, March 23rd, at the Rome Boy's Club (Rollinson's second wind in a row). The contestants spoke on "Youth-Full Partners in a Better Tomorrow," and they were required to speak for a minimum of four minutes and a maximum of five minutes without any notes or aids. They were judged on delivery, speech content, and overall effectiveness. Rollinson advanced to the zone competition, which was scheduled for April in Cedartown.
West Rome's annual Green and White football game took place on Thursday, March 26th, and the White team won 14-13, thanks to a fourth-quarter touchdown by Allen Carrington and a successful point after kick by Randy Hatch.
Piggly Wiggly had hen turkeys for 39¢ a pound, Van Camp's chili for 29¢ a can, and five pounds of grapefruit for 59¢. Kroger had ground beef for 53¢ a pound, sweet potatoes for 12¢ a pound, and Sealtest ice cream for 55¢ a half-gallon. Big Apple had rib roast for 89¢ a pound, apples for 16¢ a pound, and a five-pound bag of frozen french fries for 69¢. A&P had sirloin steak for $1.19 a pound, Hormel Vienna sausages for a dime a can, and carrots for a dime a bag. Couch's had chicken breast for 59¢ a pound, Nabisco vanilla wafers for 39¢ a box, and Van Camp's pork & beans for 15¢ a can.
The cinematic week began with The Secret of Santa Vittoria (starring Anthony Quinn) at the DeSoto Theatre, Fanny Hill (an X-rated Danish film) at the First Avenue, They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (starring Jane Fonda) at the Village, and Those Were the Happy Times (starring Julie Andrews) at the West Rome Drive-In. The weekend switch out brought The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (starring Kurt Russell) to the DeSoto and The Undefeated (starring John Wayne and Rock Hudson) to the West Rome Drive-In, whole They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and Fanny Hill hung around at the First Avenue and the Village, respectively.
Jimi Hendrix said farewell to the Experience and hello the the Band of Gypsys this week in 1970. Band of Gypsys, the one-and-only album by Hendrix, Billy Cox, and Buddy Miles, was also the last Hendrix album release prior to his death. This was also release week for Leon Russell's eponymous first album and Ringo Starr's Sentimental Journey, a strange album of cover versions of old standards that was also the first full studio album by any solo Beatle. The album featured Starr singing and assortment of his mother's favorite old songs; he even let her and the rest of the family choose the tracks.
Friday, March 13, 2020
Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 3/16/1970 to 3/22/1970
Rome City Schools submitted a revised integration plan this week in 1970, hoping to get final approval from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. While the state and federal governments had mandated that at least 75% of all minority students had to be placed in integrated schools by the 1970-1971, Rome City Schools only had 73% of all minority students in integrated schools. Rome City Schools superintendent Milton S. McDonald pointed out that the reason for the discrepancy was that 27% of the minority students had requested to remain at Main Elementary and Anna K. Davie Schools rather than transfer, and the only way to meet the 75% mandate was to force these students to go to school that were further away from their homes.
Did you know that, prior to 1970, Rome traffic ordinances allowed left turns on red after a full stop so long as no traffic was approaching? Well, that law went away this week in 1970. The new traffic ordinance said that led tturns on red were legal only where traffic controlled devices with turn arrows were installed.
The calendar said that spring was pretty much here, but the thermometer reminded Romans that winter hadn't left yet. The temperature fell to 20° on Monday morning and held in the 30s all day. Monday night brought little bit of snow, but the temperatures remained above freezing Monday night, so there were no travel problems or school cancellations.
Super Discount Stores opened their expanded location in Alto Shopping Center (at 436 Shorter Avenue) this week in 1970. Specials included ladies blouses for 88¢, 24" x 30" framed pictures for $1.99, and a 4 ounce bottle of Vitalis for 33¢. And with every $5 purchase, customers could be a 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola/Tab/Sprite for a nickel!
Piggly Wiggly had sirloin tip roast for $1.19 a pound, Uncle Tom's Brunswick stew for 59¢ a can, and Bama apple jelly for 29¢ a jar. Kroger had fresh whole fryers for 29¢ a pound, Morton TV dinners for 32¢ each, and watermelon for 49¢ each. Big Apple had center cut pork chops for 79¢ a pound, cream cheese for 29¢ a package, and Libby's fruit cocktail for 38¢ a can. A&P had chicken breast quarters for 39¢ a pound, fresh baked peach pies for 39¢ each, and celery for 19¢ a bunch. Couch's had ground chuck for 79¢ a pound, Maxwell House instant coffee for 29¢ a jar, and Aristocrat ice milk for 39¢ a half-gallon.
The cinematic week began with Downhill Racer (starring Robert Redford) at the DeSoto Theatre, The Sterile Cuckoo (starring Liza Minelli) at the First Avenue, John & Mary (starring Dustin Hoffman & Mia Farrow) at the Village, and Doctor Doolittle (starring Rex Harrison) at the West Rome Drive-In. The weekend switch out brought The Secret of Santa Vittoria (starring Anthony Quinn) to the DeSoto, Fanny Hill (an X-rated Scandinavian film with a cast no one in the US had ever heard of) at the First Avenue, They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (starring Jane Fonda) to the Village, and Those Were the Happy Times (starring Julie Andrews) to the West Rome Drive-In.
Simon & Garfunkel continued their grip on the number one slot this week in 1970 with "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Other top ten hits included "Let It Be" by the Beatles (#2); "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)" by John Lennon (#3); "The Rapper" by the Jaggerz (#4); "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" by Edison Lighthouse (#5); "ABC" by the Jackson 5 (#6); "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" by the Hollies (#7), "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum (#8--but did anyone ever turn that single over and listen to the B-side, "Milk Cow"?); "Give Me Just a Little More Time" by the Chairmen of the Board (#9); and "Come and Get It" by Badfinger (#10). That's three Apple records in the top ten! (And personally, I am grateful that Sly and the Family Stone finally fell out of the top ten, because I got so tired of having to override spellcheck every time I typed out "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)."
David Bowie married Angela Barnett this week in 1970. Few people remember Angela Bowie, ,but a lot of people remember her as the inspiration for the Rolling Stones song "Angie."
Did you know that, prior to 1970, Rome traffic ordinances allowed left turns on red after a full stop so long as no traffic was approaching? Well, that law went away this week in 1970. The new traffic ordinance said that led tturns on red were legal only where traffic controlled devices with turn arrows were installed.
The calendar said that spring was pretty much here, but the thermometer reminded Romans that winter hadn't left yet. The temperature fell to 20° on Monday morning and held in the 30s all day. Monday night brought little bit of snow, but the temperatures remained above freezing Monday night, so there were no travel problems or school cancellations.
Super Discount Stores opened their expanded location in Alto Shopping Center (at 436 Shorter Avenue) this week in 1970. Specials included ladies blouses for 88¢, 24" x 30" framed pictures for $1.99, and a 4 ounce bottle of Vitalis for 33¢. And with every $5 purchase, customers could be a 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola/Tab/Sprite for a nickel!
Piggly Wiggly had sirloin tip roast for $1.19 a pound, Uncle Tom's Brunswick stew for 59¢ a can, and Bama apple jelly for 29¢ a jar. Kroger had fresh whole fryers for 29¢ a pound, Morton TV dinners for 32¢ each, and watermelon for 49¢ each. Big Apple had center cut pork chops for 79¢ a pound, cream cheese for 29¢ a package, and Libby's fruit cocktail for 38¢ a can. A&P had chicken breast quarters for 39¢ a pound, fresh baked peach pies for 39¢ each, and celery for 19¢ a bunch. Couch's had ground chuck for 79¢ a pound, Maxwell House instant coffee for 29¢ a jar, and Aristocrat ice milk for 39¢ a half-gallon.
The cinematic week began with Downhill Racer (starring Robert Redford) at the DeSoto Theatre, The Sterile Cuckoo (starring Liza Minelli) at the First Avenue, John & Mary (starring Dustin Hoffman & Mia Farrow) at the Village, and Doctor Doolittle (starring Rex Harrison) at the West Rome Drive-In. The weekend switch out brought The Secret of Santa Vittoria (starring Anthony Quinn) to the DeSoto, Fanny Hill (an X-rated Scandinavian film with a cast no one in the US had ever heard of) at the First Avenue, They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (starring Jane Fonda) to the Village, and Those Were the Happy Times (starring Julie Andrews) to the West Rome Drive-In.
Simon & Garfunkel continued their grip on the number one slot this week in 1970 with "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Other top ten hits included "Let It Be" by the Beatles (#2); "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)" by John Lennon (#3); "The Rapper" by the Jaggerz (#4); "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" by Edison Lighthouse (#5); "ABC" by the Jackson 5 (#6); "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" by the Hollies (#7), "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum (#8--but did anyone ever turn that single over and listen to the B-side, "Milk Cow"?); "Give Me Just a Little More Time" by the Chairmen of the Board (#9); and "Come and Get It" by Badfinger (#10). That's three Apple records in the top ten! (And personally, I am grateful that Sly and the Family Stone finally fell out of the top ten, because I got so tired of having to override spellcheck every time I typed out "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)."
David Bowie married Angela Barnett this week in 1970. Few people remember Angela Bowie, ,but a lot of people remember her as the inspiration for the Rolling Stones song "Angie."
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
A Life in Four Colors Addendum (subtitle: "Let's Get Physical")
I miss Susan every day in a thousand different ways. But one of the aspects that I miss is the physical intimacy that was a part of our lives together.
I know, some people cringe at the world "intimacy" because they assume (or fear) that I'm going to discuss sexual matters. I am aware that many find that subject uncomfortable to hear about, from someone like me, so let me say right now that I'm not about to engage in a discussion of sexual matters. Intimacy includes sexual intimacy, certainly, and I was lucky enough to have a woman with whom I was totally sexually compatible.That's not what I'm talking about when I mention "physical intimacy," however.
Do you enjoy holding the hand of someone you love? Is there still a little thrill, a little excitement, when your hands touch? Does each little squeeze or brushing of fingertips communicate more than many words can express? That's physical intimacy. For more than fifty years, I held Susan's hand. When we were going somewhere in the car, her hand often rested in one. I would rub my thumb lightly over the back of her hand, feeling her knuckles and the gentle motion of the tendons just beneath the skin. I knew exactly where in the center of her palm I could brush with my fingernail to make her give a gentle half-giggle, as if it almost tickled. I remember her supple fingers from the earliest days of our lives together, and I remember those same fingers as arthritis afflicted the knuckles, causing the joints to swell as they lost some of their mobility. But I loved those hands for fifty years, and sometimes I was so moved by holding her hand that I had to lift it to my lips and kiss it gently. "I love you so much that sometimes it just overwhelms me," I would tell her. She would smile and ocassionally respond with a self-deprecating comment, but I would affectionately and gently chide her for not seeing the same loveliness that I saw every time I looked at her.
After fifty years of love and forty-eight years of marriage, both of us came to know all about one another's bodies (and again, I'm not just talking sexually). I knew exactly where on her neck to squeeze upwards with my thumbs when she was tired or tense; I knew where on each temple to rub when she was stressed. I knew the spot on the lower part of her shoulder blades where she liked for me to massage firmly while we were hugging one another, and I remember the little satisfied sound she would make when I did so. I knew that she liked it when, after I rubbed her neck, my fingers would softly slide down the side of her neck to the little hollow where her collarbones came together. I knew how she liked for me to press against the arch of her foot with a knuckled fist before firmly gripping and massaging each foot. I knew the places that were ticklish, and I knew when to avoid them--and when not to.
As her chronic illness progressed in the final years of her life, I knew the places that hurt even under the lightest touch, and I knew to avoid them without her ever having to tell me. I learned how to put my arm around her with affection as we walked into a store, disguising the fact that I was at times having to assist her when walking was difficult. When her hands began to fail her, I learned how to wash her hair the way she liked, massaging her scalp while she closed her eyes and smiled.
I knew her lips so well that I was familiar with every contour. I kissed those lips every day, more than once--every morning when I would leave, every day when I would come home, and for no particular reason in the hours afterwards. Sometimes I would hold her hands while I kissed her; other times, I would hug her and pull her close to me; still other times, I would rub her back to alleviate some of the day's burdens as I kissed her. She knew me just as well, and would frequently brighten a dreary work-heavy evening with a kiss "for nothing 'cept I love you," as she would always reply when I would ask, "What was that for?"
She knew me just as well. She knew me in my youth, when we were just learning one another's bodies and touch was new and exciting. She knew my body as it changed with age and injury. She knew the long scar of my heart surgery; I remember when she gently brushed across it after it had healed, asking if it hurt when she touched it, not wholly convinced when I told her it didn't (even though I was telling her the truth). Her fingers knew the sunken depression of my torn bicep, an injury that left me self-conscious because to me it looks freakish; she never saw it that way. She would joke about my bony knees when I would hold them together, leaving a space above them where the thighs didn't touch (she loved to rub my leg above the knee and joke, "I wish my thighs were like that," even though I thought her thighs were just perfect the way they were.)
Best of all, I was graced with a woman who welcomed my hugs, my caresses, my kisses. Unless you've been lucky enough to spend most of a lifetime with someone who enjoys physical contact as much as you do, you can't fully appreciate what a gift that is. After a while, you take it for granted because that's the way it's always been. Then, when it's taken from you... that's when you fully realize what a gift it was.
Once that's gone, there's a void that can't be filled. It might seem contradictory (and I guess it is), but I'm not a hugger or a person who touches others. It seems intrusive and invasive to simply hug or touch someone without knowing that the person wants to be hugged. I am apprehensive about spanning that physical gap, because I would never want to make someone else uncomfortable.
Knowing that there's someone who always welcomes your hug, shares your kiss, enjoys your touch, and lovingly returns those hugs, kisses, and touches--that's physical intimacy, and there's nothing better. But you'll never know just how important it is until it's gone away, and you realize you'll never share that level of physical intimacy again. Coming to terms with that--that's one of the hardest parts of losing someone you love.
I know, some people cringe at the world "intimacy" because they assume (or fear) that I'm going to discuss sexual matters. I am aware that many find that subject uncomfortable to hear about, from someone like me, so let me say right now that I'm not about to engage in a discussion of sexual matters. Intimacy includes sexual intimacy, certainly, and I was lucky enough to have a woman with whom I was totally sexually compatible.That's not what I'm talking about when I mention "physical intimacy," however.
Do you enjoy holding the hand of someone you love? Is there still a little thrill, a little excitement, when your hands touch? Does each little squeeze or brushing of fingertips communicate more than many words can express? That's physical intimacy. For more than fifty years, I held Susan's hand. When we were going somewhere in the car, her hand often rested in one. I would rub my thumb lightly over the back of her hand, feeling her knuckles and the gentle motion of the tendons just beneath the skin. I knew exactly where in the center of her palm I could brush with my fingernail to make her give a gentle half-giggle, as if it almost tickled. I remember her supple fingers from the earliest days of our lives together, and I remember those same fingers as arthritis afflicted the knuckles, causing the joints to swell as they lost some of their mobility. But I loved those hands for fifty years, and sometimes I was so moved by holding her hand that I had to lift it to my lips and kiss it gently. "I love you so much that sometimes it just overwhelms me," I would tell her. She would smile and ocassionally respond with a self-deprecating comment, but I would affectionately and gently chide her for not seeing the same loveliness that I saw every time I looked at her.
After fifty years of love and forty-eight years of marriage, both of us came to know all about one another's bodies (and again, I'm not just talking sexually). I knew exactly where on her neck to squeeze upwards with my thumbs when she was tired or tense; I knew where on each temple to rub when she was stressed. I knew the spot on the lower part of her shoulder blades where she liked for me to massage firmly while we were hugging one another, and I remember the little satisfied sound she would make when I did so. I knew that she liked it when, after I rubbed her neck, my fingers would softly slide down the side of her neck to the little hollow where her collarbones came together. I knew how she liked for me to press against the arch of her foot with a knuckled fist before firmly gripping and massaging each foot. I knew the places that were ticklish, and I knew when to avoid them--and when not to.
As her chronic illness progressed in the final years of her life, I knew the places that hurt even under the lightest touch, and I knew to avoid them without her ever having to tell me. I learned how to put my arm around her with affection as we walked into a store, disguising the fact that I was at times having to assist her when walking was difficult. When her hands began to fail her, I learned how to wash her hair the way she liked, massaging her scalp while she closed her eyes and smiled.
I knew her lips so well that I was familiar with every contour. I kissed those lips every day, more than once--every morning when I would leave, every day when I would come home, and for no particular reason in the hours afterwards. Sometimes I would hold her hands while I kissed her; other times, I would hug her and pull her close to me; still other times, I would rub her back to alleviate some of the day's burdens as I kissed her. She knew me just as well, and would frequently brighten a dreary work-heavy evening with a kiss "for nothing 'cept I love you," as she would always reply when I would ask, "What was that for?"
She knew me just as well. She knew me in my youth, when we were just learning one another's bodies and touch was new and exciting. She knew my body as it changed with age and injury. She knew the long scar of my heart surgery; I remember when she gently brushed across it after it had healed, asking if it hurt when she touched it, not wholly convinced when I told her it didn't (even though I was telling her the truth). Her fingers knew the sunken depression of my torn bicep, an injury that left me self-conscious because to me it looks freakish; she never saw it that way. She would joke about my bony knees when I would hold them together, leaving a space above them where the thighs didn't touch (she loved to rub my leg above the knee and joke, "I wish my thighs were like that," even though I thought her thighs were just perfect the way they were.)
Best of all, I was graced with a woman who welcomed my hugs, my caresses, my kisses. Unless you've been lucky enough to spend most of a lifetime with someone who enjoys physical contact as much as you do, you can't fully appreciate what a gift that is. After a while, you take it for granted because that's the way it's always been. Then, when it's taken from you... that's when you fully realize what a gift it was.
Once that's gone, there's a void that can't be filled. It might seem contradictory (and I guess it is), but I'm not a hugger or a person who touches others. It seems intrusive and invasive to simply hug or touch someone without knowing that the person wants to be hugged. I am apprehensive about spanning that physical gap, because I would never want to make someone else uncomfortable.
Knowing that there's someone who always welcomes your hug, shares your kiss, enjoys your touch, and lovingly returns those hugs, kisses, and touches--that's physical intimacy, and there's nothing better. But you'll never know just how important it is until it's gone away, and you realize you'll never share that level of physical intimacy again. Coming to terms with that--that's one of the hardest parts of losing someone you love.
Friday, March 06, 2020
Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 3/9/1970 to 3/15/1970
West Rome was ground zero for funny money this week in 1970. Counterfeit $20 bills (all with the same serial number) showed up at two West Rome groceries and at the First National Bank. Soon after that, a girl found three more bills scattered along Williamson Street in West Rome. After she heard the story about counterfeit bills on the radio, she called the police and turned in the three bills. Rome City police investigated and then called in the Secret Service.
Sheriff Joe Adams kept his promise to enforce Georgia' blue laws, arresting Big K manager Montie Rasure and assisting manager Levi Phillips for violating the Sunday closing law. According to the Rome News-Tribune, "the atmosphere inside the store was almost festive, and everyone from the sheriff to Rasure seemed amused about the entire affair. Employees and customers voiced approached newsmen and voiced their opinion about the Sunday closing law after asking what the sheriff was about to do." The most insightful comments quoted in the paper? "If the Sheriff locks this place up, he out to lock up all the mills are here that open on Sunday, too. I need a day off," and "That damned law don't make a bit of sense to me. It's plum cockeyed." When the managers realized that the officers planned to arrest clerks for selling the merchandise, Rasure and Phillips stepped in and sent the clerks elsewhere, manning the registers themselves to ensure that no one on their staff went to jail for selling the merchandise. Customers applauded the manager and assistant manager for their actions to protect their staff from arrest. (And if there was any doubt that this was the beginning of the end of Georgia blue laws, the response of the people watching this show put that to doubt.)
The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare turned their attention from high schools to colleges in the spring of 1970, serving notice that Georgia and nine other states were operating segregated college and university systems. The notification gave Georgia until the end of April to submit desegregation plans. It was pointed out that Floyd Junior College, under construction for a fall 1970 opening, would be fully desegregated from the day it opened.
Temperatures dropped to a sub-freezing 20 degrees on Saturday night, March 14th, tying the all-time low record for that date. Sunday night saw scattered snow flurries with a low of 35 degrees--but because it never got below freezing, the snow melted soon after falling and there were no weather-related problems.
Piggly Wiggly had fresh whole fryers for 29¢ a pound, Oscar Mayer hot dogs for 69¢ a package, and sweet potatoes for 12¢ a pound. Kroger had jiffy steak for 89¢ a pound, Starkist tuna for 33¢ a can, and fresh strawberries for 29¢ a pint. A&P had T-Bone steak for $1.19 a pound, Bush beans for a dime a can, and tomatoes for 39¢ a pound. Big Apple had whole hams for 43¢ a pound, Campbell's tomato soup for a dime a can, and bananas for a dime a pound. Couch's had leg o' lamb for 79¢ a pound, Saltine crackers for 39¢ a box, and lettuce for 15¢ a head..
The cinematic week began with Gaily, Gaily (starring Brian Keith) at the DeSoto Theatre, Chastity (starring Cher) at the First Avenue, Cactus Flower (with Walter Matthau) at the Village, and Planet of the Apes (starring Charlton Heston) at the West Rome Drive-In. The weekend switch out brought Downhill Racer (starring Robert Redford) to the DeSoto Theatre, The Sterile Cuckoo (starring Liza Minelli) to the First Avenue, John and Mary (starring Dustin Hoffman & Mia Farrow) to the Village, and Lady in Cement (starring Frank Sinatra) to the West Rome Drive-In.
Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" held its lock on the number one slot this week in 1970. Other top ten hits included "The Rapper" by the Jaggerz (#2); "Give Me Just a Little More Time" by the Chairmen of the Board (#3); "Instant Karma (We All Shine On" by John Lennon (#4); "Rainy Night in Georgia" by Brook Benton (#5); "Let It Be" by the Beatles (#6); "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" by the Hollies (#7); "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" by Edison Lighthouse (#8); "Evil Ways" by Santana (#9); and "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" by the Delfonics (#10).
Monday, March 02, 2020
Food for Thought
We all have foods that are a part of our lives. Meals that we have made dozens, even hundreds of times. Dishes that we have shared with those we love. Favorites that have become a tradition.
My dearest friends brighten my week by joining me for dinner at El Rodeo every Wednesday. I have gotten the same thing every week for more than a third of a century: nachos mara, chicken and beans but no beef, no sour cream, extra lettuce, add guacamole. Reeently, the wonderful staff has begun referring to it as "The Cliff." The affection behind such a gesture always makes me smile. When I go to the restaurant on other days (and sometimes I eat there three or more times a week), I order something different, because "The Cliff" isn't just a great dish, it's a dish whose most important ingredient is the love and friendship that makes that meal the highlight of my week.
Susan had her first pizza ever on a Saturday date with me back in 1970. She loved it. From that week on, we had pizza for Saturday dinner almost every week of our lives. Village Inn, Pizza Inn, Petro's, Pizza Hut, Pasquale's, Mellow Mushroom, Everybody's, Rosa's, Bellacino's, La Bella's, Capozzi's, Domino's, Jet's, Star, Night Owl, DaVinci's, Peace Love & Pizza, Santino's, G'Angelo's... lots of pizza places over the years. Some great, some good, some mediocre, some pretty crummy. Didn't matter, though. I was having pizza with Susan, just like we did every Saturday, and if it was great, we relished it. If it was bad, we started talking about where we were going to get pizza the next Saturday.
My mom made the best Irish stew ever. Some friends who are sticklers for detail correct me, saying that the ingredients Mom added weren't in classic Irish stew. I didn't care. They were in my mom's Irish stew, so there were in my Irish stew. Mom shared the recipe with Kim and me when each of us got married, and every time either of us made it, we didn't call it Irish stew--we called it Mom's Irish stew. The day before Mom went into the hospital for the final time in her losing struggle with emphysema, she sat in the kitchen and watched Dad make Irish stew for everyone. When it was ready, she took a bite, then smiled. It was Mom's Irish Stew.
Dad loved to grill barbecued chicken. There's an art to it. Get the grill too hot, let it sit on one side too long, and the sugars in the barbecue sauce blacken and carbonize and the barbecue chicken becomes bitter and crunchy. Cook it at the right temperature, the barbecue sauce darkens and crisps ever so slightly at the thinnest part of the chicken. Dad got it right every time. I never learned that art, but I wish I had.
Mom and Susan both made spaghetti and meat sauce. Each recipe was very different. Mom's was the recipe she had learned from her mother, modifying it to suit Dad's tastes. It was the recipe I grew up with--slightly sweeter, bigger bits of green peppers and onions cooked until totally soft. Susan's was made the way her family made it when she was a child--a more robust tomato tang, smaller pieces of onion and green pepper and red pepper, sautéed to the point where there was still a bit of crispness, with thinly sliced mushrooms mixed in. I loved them both, but never thought of them as the same food, name notwithstanding.
Susan loved sweets for breakfast. Pop Tarts or muffins or cookies or cinnamon rolls or coffee cake--she loved them all, and would have them for every breakfast if she had her choice. I often joked that I could eat cereal for breakfast almost every day and I would be perfectly happy, but I liked to eat breakfast with Susan, so I'd usually have what she was having.
Susan and I often remarked that we had plebeian tastes. We routinely enjoyed the most mundane foods. Mrs. Gorton's frozen flounder and haddock filets. Stouffer's meat lover's lasagna. Two sandwiches, one made from Boar's Head sweet sliced ham (which, contrary to the name, is not sweet) and the other from mesquite turkey. Tuna salad with just enough mayonnaise to stop it from being dry, but not enough to make it goopy, with dill pickle relish. Chicken salad, made the same way but with sweet pickle relish. Progresso soup--hearty tomato for me, chicken noodle for her. Marie Callendar's chicken pot pies, to which we would add a can of sweet peas with mushrooms. Mrs. Fearnow's Brunswick stew. Chicken tenders from Publix or from Zaxby's. We looked forward to these again and again.
When Susan died, I couldn't eat a lot of these foods. Even those I did eat, I had to change. Zaxby's chicken tenders were the last meal that Susan requested. I can't go back to Zaxby's. For the last few weeks of her life, I'd go to Wendy's and get a small chocolate and a small vanilla frosty every night at 9:45 and we'd alternate taking spoonfuls of it; I can still see her smile that accompanied every bite. I can't go back there now. I still eat pizza, but never on a Saturday. I make sandwiches, but only one, and I add a cheese that I liked but Susan didn't care as much for. If I have both turkey and ham, then I just eat the meat and the cheese, but no bread. I made tuna salad once; The memories were too much and I haven't tried it again. I hardly ever have anything sweet for breakfast, choosing cereal during the week and turkey sausage & Southwestern Egg Beaters with dry toast on weekends. Sometimes, I don't even eat a meal at home. When I have a big Wednesday dinner, or a great Friday lunch with my friends, that's usually my only meal of the day. Some of the changes are health focused. I'm getting a day older every morning, and metabolisms change with age. I work to stay ahead of that, so I eat to maintain my weight and my health.
But most of all, I eat different because I have to. I can't be sad with every meal. And if that means eating meals at different times, on different days, or even not eating some meals at all--well, I'm okay with that. We all find our own ways to survive. This is mine.
But tonight...
Didn't know what I wanted for dinner, so I looked in the freezer. Nothing appealed to me. So I went to the other freezer. Two Stouffer's meat lover's lasagnas were at the top of the stack, where they've been for over a year, when Susan and I bought them. She never got to have either of them before the fall and the stroke and every bad thing that followed.
And tonight, Stouffer's lasagna sounded good. So I had half a box--about 675 calories worth--with a small salad. The same thing Susan and I always had.
Good. Even better than I remembered. And I could remember how her eyes would squint when she took the first bite, followed by her saying, "This is so good." Every time. It made me smile.
Tonight I remembered. The lasagna, the squint, the remark. I remembered them all. And it made me smile.
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Fifty Years Ago This Week in West Rome - 3/2/1970 to 3/8/1970
The Rome Board of Education submitted its school integration plan for the 1970-71 school year on March 2nd, which met the deadline imposed by a district court in December. The plan allowed city students to choose what high school they wanted to attend, but Superintendent MS McDonald said that the plan called for the elimination of Main Junior High School, with students being sent to West Rome and East Rome Junior High Schools.
Floyd County District Attorney Larry Salmon said that now that county "blue laws" requiring non-essential business to close on Sundays had been ruled constitutional, he was recommending that the business licenses of all violators be revoked. The city of Rome, however, issued a statement that the law had "built-in pitfalls which make it practically impossible to enforce effectively." Sheriff Joe Adams said that, since the city was located within the county, he intended to enforce the law and cite all businesses that were not selling gas, groceries, and/or drugs.
Gibson's Discount Center held its grand opening on March 2nd, with Governor Lester Maddox on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony. The Rome store was the first of eight new retail locations scheduled to open in Georgia; its 132,000 square feet of shopping space was complemented by twenty check-out counters at the front and five additional check-out counters at various departments in the store.
West Rome junior Tommy Hardin was elected chairman of the Northwest Georgia High School Distribute Education Clubs; he would be responsible for overseeing and coordinating activities of fourteen other DE clubs in conjunction with DE advisor Jerry Jarrard.
West Rome Junior High teacher Thomas Edward Mann was selected as Georgia's 1970 Region One Teacher of the Year.
The Chieftains girls basketball team defeated East Rome 46-42 on Tuesday, March 3rd, which propelled them into a sub-region playoff with Cartersville. Debbie Poarch was the girls' top scorer with 12 points. Alas, West Rome fell to Cartersville on Wednesday night 35-25, ending their hopes for a region victory.
Piggly Wiggly had Chuck Wagon bacon for 69¢ a pound, Merita bread for 35¢ a loaf, and potatoes for 6¢ a pound. Kroger had pork roast for 39¢ a pound, Chase & Sanborn coffee for 55¢ a pound, and in-store-baked angel food cakes for 45¢ each. Big Apple had Cudahy Bar S hot dogs for 59¢ a pound, Van Camp's pork & beans for 25¢ a can, and Irvindale ice milk for 39¢ a half-gallon. A&P had chicken breast quarters for 39¢ a pound, carrots for 15¢ a bunch, and Coca-Cola/Tab/Sprite/Fresca for 33¢ a carton plus deposit. Couch's had leg o' lamb for 79¢ a pound, JFG tea bags for 89¢ a box and Stokely creamed corn for 23¢ a can.
The cinematic week began with Darby O'Gill & The Little People (starring Sean Connery) at the DeSoto Theatre, De Sade (starring Senta Berger) at the First Avenue, Cactus Flower (starring Walter Matthau) at the Village, and The Witchmaker (starring no one worth remembering) at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switch out brought Gaily Gaily (starring Brian Keith) to the DeSoto Theatre, Chastity (starring Cher) at the First Avenue, and Planet of the Apes (starring Charlton Heston) at the West Rome Drive-In, while Cactus Flower continued to bloom at the Village.
Simon & Garfunkel held on to the number one slot this week in 1970 with "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Other top ten hits included "Who'll Stop the Rain?" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#2); "The Rapper" but the Jaggerz (#3); "Rainy Night in Georgia" by Brook Benton (#4); "Ma Belle Amie" by the Tee Set (#5); "Give Me Just a Little More Time" by the Chairmen of the Board (#6); "Tbank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin/Everybody Is a Star" by Sly & the Family Stone (#7); "Hey There Lonely Girl" by Eddie Holman (#8); "Het Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" by the Hollies (#9); and "Evil Ways" by Santana (#10).
Floyd County District Attorney Larry Salmon said that now that county "blue laws" requiring non-essential business to close on Sundays had been ruled constitutional, he was recommending that the business licenses of all violators be revoked. The city of Rome, however, issued a statement that the law had "built-in pitfalls which make it practically impossible to enforce effectively." Sheriff Joe Adams said that, since the city was located within the county, he intended to enforce the law and cite all businesses that were not selling gas, groceries, and/or drugs.
Gibson's Discount Center held its grand opening on March 2nd, with Governor Lester Maddox on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony. The Rome store was the first of eight new retail locations scheduled to open in Georgia; its 132,000 square feet of shopping space was complemented by twenty check-out counters at the front and five additional check-out counters at various departments in the store.
West Rome junior Tommy Hardin was elected chairman of the Northwest Georgia High School Distribute Education Clubs; he would be responsible for overseeing and coordinating activities of fourteen other DE clubs in conjunction with DE advisor Jerry Jarrard.
West Rome Junior High teacher Thomas Edward Mann was selected as Georgia's 1970 Region One Teacher of the Year.
The Chieftains girls basketball team defeated East Rome 46-42 on Tuesday, March 3rd, which propelled them into a sub-region playoff with Cartersville. Debbie Poarch was the girls' top scorer with 12 points. Alas, West Rome fell to Cartersville on Wednesday night 35-25, ending their hopes for a region victory.
Piggly Wiggly had Chuck Wagon bacon for 69¢ a pound, Merita bread for 35¢ a loaf, and potatoes for 6¢ a pound. Kroger had pork roast for 39¢ a pound, Chase & Sanborn coffee for 55¢ a pound, and in-store-baked angel food cakes for 45¢ each. Big Apple had Cudahy Bar S hot dogs for 59¢ a pound, Van Camp's pork & beans for 25¢ a can, and Irvindale ice milk for 39¢ a half-gallon. A&P had chicken breast quarters for 39¢ a pound, carrots for 15¢ a bunch, and Coca-Cola/Tab/Sprite/Fresca for 33¢ a carton plus deposit. Couch's had leg o' lamb for 79¢ a pound, JFG tea bags for 89¢ a box and Stokely creamed corn for 23¢ a can.
The cinematic week began with Darby O'Gill & The Little People (starring Sean Connery) at the DeSoto Theatre, De Sade (starring Senta Berger) at the First Avenue, Cactus Flower (starring Walter Matthau) at the Village, and The Witchmaker (starring no one worth remembering) at the West Rome Drive-In. The midweek switch out brought Gaily Gaily (starring Brian Keith) to the DeSoto Theatre, Chastity (starring Cher) at the First Avenue, and Planet of the Apes (starring Charlton Heston) at the West Rome Drive-In, while Cactus Flower continued to bloom at the Village.
Simon & Garfunkel held on to the number one slot this week in 1970 with "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Other top ten hits included "Who'll Stop the Rain?" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#2); "The Rapper" but the Jaggerz (#3); "Rainy Night in Georgia" by Brook Benton (#4); "Ma Belle Amie" by the Tee Set (#5); "Give Me Just a Little More Time" by the Chairmen of the Board (#6); "Tbank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin/Everybody Is a Star" by Sly & the Family Stone (#7); "Hey There Lonely Girl" by Eddie Holman (#8); "Het Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" by the Hollies (#9); and "Evil Ways" by Santana (#10).