HEY, WASN'T THIS US?

A little house with three bedrooms, one bathroom and one car on the street. A mower that you had to push to make the grass look neat.

In the kitchen on the wall we only had one phone, and no need for recording things, someone was always home.

We only had a living room where we would congregate, unless it was at mealtime in the kitchen where we ate.

In this photo, I am standing in front of our family’s1938 Oldsmobile parked in driveway of 1914 West Broadway in Enid, Oklahoma. This is the car we drove to California when I was four years old. My brother, Byron, did most of the mowing, but after he went into the Army, I started moving the lawn with a mower I had to push through the Bermuda grass of our lawn.

We didn’t have a phone on the wall. Our phone in Enid looked like this, but did not have the dial shown in this photo. When we picked up the phone, an operator would say, “Number please.” We would give her our number and she would connect us to the person we were calling.

We often gathered around the Gulbransen piano in the living room to listen to my Mother play and often joined her in singing. I also used the piano bench as my horse. I often laid a blanket on the bench to use as my saddle as I rode off into my “imaginary west.”

Juanita Hannibal sent us an e-mail entitled, “Hey, Wasn’t This Us”? On December 16, 2012. As I read it, I realized that this e-mail described the world where I grew up. I decided to adapt this e-mail for inclusion in our Family History. My comments have been inserted in the text boxes that accompany the text of the original e-mail. Some of the photos of the e-mail have been replaced by family photos. The text of the original e-mail is not in a text box, and is in boldface type.

We had no need for family rooms or extra rooms to dine. When meeting as a family those two rooms would work out fine.

For snacks we had potato chips that tasted like a chip.And if you wanted flavor there was Lipton's onion dip.

Store-bought snacks were rare because my mother liked to cook and nothing can compare to snacksin Betty Crocker's book.

Weekends were for family trips or staying home to play. We all did things together -- even go to church to pray.

We gathered in the kitchen for breakfast. Most of our lunches and dinners were in the dining room adjacent to the kitchen. Mealtime was a time for the family to get together to talk and enjoy being together.

I don’t remember when I first experienced Lipton’s onion dip, but I do recall it as my favorite dip. Pringles came along late in my young life, and I welcomed them; however, old fashioned potato chips are still one of my favorite snacks.

It is hard to separate the accumulated memories of my childhood, but I do recall my Mother using Betty Crocker’s Cook Book. Like most mothers she liked to exchange recipes with family and friends.

This is our Church in Enid, Oklahoma where I was baptized when I was seven years old. My Mother taught a Sunday school class here, and my Dad was active as a leader in the Church.

When we did our weekend trips no one stayed at home because we liked to be together.

Sometimes we would separateTo do things on our own,but we knew where the others werewithout our own cell phone.

Then there were the movieswith your favorite movie star,and nothing can compareto watching movies in your car.

Friends regularly gathered at our home to play. Our garage was separate from our house and was at the end of the driveway to the right of our home. Byron had attached a basketball goal on our garage. I also recall playing basketball at the home of a friend whose home was west of us (across the railroad tracks).

I don’t remember taking weekend trips. I do remember my Dad letting me sit in his lap while we drove to a favorite picnic location west of town. I thought I was driving as he allowed me to hold on to the steering wheel. I do remember the drives to Webb City to see my grandparents. Our family’s 1939 Packard became my car in 1950 when we moved to Kansas City.

Our family loved to go to drive-in movies. When I was older, a fun thing to do was to go to a drive-in. When we were out with friends, we had to find a phone to call home because we didn’t have cell phones. When we were older, we often searched for a phone booth to make a call. Before we could use the “pay phone,” we had to find the coins required for a call.

Then there were the picnicsat the peak of summer season, pack a lunch and find some treesand never need a reason.

Get a baseball game together with all the friends you know, have real action playing ball -- and no game video.

Fun and tragedy at picnics in the park: I remember two parks in Enid, Oklahoma. One was the city park that was east of the downtown area. My memory is that it was named “Helen’s Park,” but I could not find such a park when I “Googled” it. There was a lake at the park where we could rent a canoe. The attraction that most often drew us to the park was the pavilion where the high school band played concerts. My most vivid memory of going to this park was a time when I went there alone. I had to be less than ten years old, because we left Enid in 1945. I dropped a 50 cent piece in the grass on my way to a band concert. I got down on my hands and knees to search for the “half dollar.” I was still searching when people started walking by me after the concert was over. I was devastated by the loss and retain this memory to this day. I have another memory of a tragedy at a church picnic that was held at another location north of town. My brother, Byron, was with his friends at the picnic when one of his friends was shot in the mouth. His life was saved when a 22 caliber bullet hit two of his teeth and lodged in his mouth. I don’t remember the details, but I do remember that one of my brother’s friends had brought the pistol to the picnic. As I write this story, the TV behind me is tuned to FACE THE NATION (CBS). Bob Schieffer is leading a panel discussion of gun control following the tragic killing of 28 people at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT earlier this week.

Today is December 16, 2012. Christmas is less than ten days away. Our grandkids (Jason, Logan, Lindsay, Patrick, Michel, Matthew, and Peyton) will be here next Saturday. I marvel when I watch them play their video games and use their personal computers. As I watch, I recall the game of “Pong” that I played on our family’s first computer, an Apple II. Most of our grandkids have cell phones, and each of them except for Peyton is computer literate. Even Peyton uses Vicki’s cell phone. Occasionally Marcia’s cell phone will ring. She answers the phone only to discover Peyton at the age of three has inadvertently called us while playing “Angry Bird” on Vicki’s cell phone. Michael loves to make movies, and is able to use his personal compute to edit his films. When I watch him editing his films, I watch in wonder! Lindsay and Logan amaze me with their computer skills. I used to call Mark when I had a computer problem. Now I call Lindsay or Logan.

Remember when the doctor used to be the family friend, and didn't need insurance or a lawyer to defend? The way that he took care of you or what he had to do, because he took an oath and strived to do the best for you.

How the Abbott family got started with computers: I bought our Apple II Computer in 1977 to encourage Mark to follow through on his interest in personal computers. This was the first year that the Apple II was produced. If I had wanted to buy an Apple Computer a year earlier, I would have had to buy one made by Steve Jobs in his garage at home. Mark had taken a computer course at St. Andrews, but was frustrated with the limited opportunities to use the one computer that was available at St. Andrews. Mark’s interest in computers grew and at one point he considered majoring in some area of computer technology. He was trying to decide if he wanted to major in computer hardware or software. I arranged for him to talk to the chair of our Computer Science Department. Neil Coulter advised him to take some foundation courses that would prepare him for both fields. At some point, he would arrive at a fork in the road where he would have to decide between hardware and software. One semester he was looking for an elective that fit well into his schedule. He decided to take a course in hydro geology. He liked this course so much he decided to major in hydro geology. This field of study made good use of his computer skills. That decision led to the successful career that he now enjoys.

Even Marcia has joined in the family’s pursuit of computer technology. A few minutes ago, she asked me help her access her medical records at Martin Health Systems. I showed her how to do this with her IPAD. Marcia had learned to use simple programs like Word, but had never embraced the pursuit of computer excellence. Until recently, Marcia had resisted using the advances of technology in personal computers. Her change in attitude came when she bought her first Apple I-Phone. She learned how to use the technology of the I-phone. When the IPAD came onto the market, its technology was very similar to the technology used for her I-phone. Marcia was hooked, and has entered the world of 21st century technology. Now when I need help using my I-phone, I call either Marcia, Lindsay, or Logan.

My Mother had a heart attack in the early 1940s. I remember her doctor coming to our home to take care of her. We took for granted that our doctors would come to our home when needed. The first time I remember a doctor refusing to come to our home was in the early 1950 when Dr. Growdon informed us that he could provide better care by meeting us at the Emergency Room of St. Lukes Hospital in Kansas City. I don’t remember a doctor coming to our home since that time. Dr. Growdon continued for many years to take care of the Abbott family. When Marcia and I moved to Kansas City in 1960, he became Marcia’s and my family doctor.

Remember going to the store and shopping casually, and when you went to pay for it you used your own money?

The milkman used to go from door to door, and it was just a few cents more than going to the store.

There was a time when mailed letters came right to your door, without a lot of junk mail ads sent out by every store. The mailman knew each house by name and knew where it was sent; there were not loads of mail addressed to "present occupant."

My first memory of a credit card was when I was in business in Kansas City in the early 1960s. I remember a representative from BankAmerica calling on me to encourage me to accept credit cards for my sales. My first memories of large shopping centers are of the Ward Parkway Center in Kansas City and Ranchmart in Overland Park. Marcia probably recalls the Prairie Village Shopping Center where she made regular purchases at the Jones Store and from Bruce Drugs. Mark and Vicki probably remember my reactions when our credit card bills came in the mail.

The Abbotts had their milk delivered by Oblander’s Dairy in Enid, Oklahoma. I made friends with Mr. Oblander, who personally delivered the milk. He actually let me help him deliver the milk to our neighbors, and taught me how to jump from a moving truck with milk bottles in my hands. The secret, I learned was to land on my outside foot. Otherwise, I would go sprawling to the ground.

…and I might add: The stamps cost three cents!

There was a time when just one glance was all that it would take, and you would know the kind of car, the model and the make.There was a time when just one glance was all that it would take,

and you would know the kind of car, the model and the make.

They didn't look like turtles trying to squeeze out every mile;

They were streamlined, white walls, fins and really had some style.

One time the music that you played whenever you would jive, was from a vinyl, big-holed record called a forty-five.

The record player had a post to keep them all in lineand then the records would drop down and play one at a time.

The Abbott family cars have been chosen primarily for transportation purposes. We wanted cars that were stylish and reliable, but were never concerned for having the latest in terms of style. Most of our cars were kept for more than ten years. My current car is a 1994 Miata. I like its looks. It is reliable, and will soon be an antique.

I don’t remember our ever having a 45 record player in our home. I will have to ask Mark and Vicki if they ever had one.

For some reason other, I was never into 45 records, but Marcia says she was when she was in school

Oh sure, we had our problems then,Just like we do today and always we were striving, trying for a better way.

Oh, the simple life we lived still seems like so much fun, how can you explain a game, just kick the can and run?

And why would boys put baseball cards between bicycle spokes…

And for a nickel, red machines had little bottled Cokes?

This life seemed so much easier and slower in some ways.I love the new technology but I sure do miss those days.

So time moves on and so do we and nothing stays the same, but I sure love to reminisce and walk down memory lane.

With all today's technology we grant that it's a plus!But it's fun to look way back and say,Hey look guys, THAT WAS US!

Mark is riding his new bike in this picture.