“A Terrific Memory If I say so, Myself”
“Sparton Radio” Day for Mary Ellen, Herself”
“1947 Sparton Radio – instead of record player”
The best time in all of the “seven years” of my “LIFE” of being an “ORPHAN” would be, when “VISITING SUNDAY” would finally get here! At first, in the Orphan Home, there was only “one Visiting Sunday” a month, and then, that was increased to the second and fourth “SUNDAY” of the month.
So NOW, after the NEW “Record Player” was sent back to “FAMOUS BARR STORE” – I had to wait till my MOTHER would be out to see us, and ask for a radio, since there was no hope of using our “records” sitting in baskets at our home, on a brand new record player, that the “NUNS” decided to, not allow me to have! The “NUNS” said, “the “records” would all – be broken – by everyone throwing them around!”
When my MOTHER would come to visit us, she would always bring a shopping bag of all kinds of good stuff, “especially” some of the things, that I would ask “MOM” for, on a “POST CARD.” I had a regular grocery list, and sent it, just the week before visiting day.
I liked, “Hi HO Crackers” – “Bosco Chocolate Syrup” – “Sardines” and “Grapefruit.” Sometimes my MOM would also bring a pan of homemade “FUDGE” which was always the best of treats! Since my MOTHER was a saver of my “mail,” she did have, some of my old “POSTCARDS” and of course many years later, while going through lots of old stuff, that is, after leaving the Orphan Home and, WE DECIDED TO MOVE TO A NEW LOCATION. I was lucky to find some of those old postcards, which I still have somewhere, so many good old memories, just for today!
“Visiting SUNDAY” – “WOW” – Now, I will have to sell my “MOM” on the idea of getting for me, a portable radio. Something, I can plug in, when and where I can, but also, be able to play when not near any electric outlets?
The good “radio stories” that they had on radio, in the 1940’s and 1950’s were terrific! The same as those, that we would listen to, when we were home with our Parents. Then, too they had good “MUSIC” like the “TOP FIVE” Hits of the Day, there was one song, the “Twelfth Street RAG” – which I would like to dance to, as did some of the other girls in my class, and even some of the older girls.
Then, there was was a “someone” around, as always some of the other kids, had “No Visitors” and always enjoyed being around my “MOM” as she always had lots of good stuff to say, just as, I do today!
A part of living, is always, to enjoy having FUN and LAUGHTER, just to make, one-self feel good!
Even though, they are not exactly, where they want to be, a “buttinsky” type of person, a someone that liked to listen to the “Ball GAMES” of which, I was not really “big” on doing and was not planning on doing, has time to put her “two-cents” in, and when my MOM heard the word “Baseball” she said, “she was not interested in getting a radio for that purpose!”
NOW, I had to really turn the conversation around and even ended up promising my MOM, that, I would not waste my time listening to ballgames!
When my “MOM” had to leave us, at “Five O’clock” on that vising Sunday, I really did not know, if she would, or would not, buy a radio for me? I just had to start praying, like never before, that, she might change her mind, and buy a radio – for me!
SO…
“WHO said, that “PRAYERS” are not answered?”
The very next “VISITING SUNDAY” there my MOM is, walking in with a “brand new portable radio,” just like the PHOTO – as seen below!
This “Sparton Radio” looks just like the one I had back then.
It did take a couple of days for me to recall the name. The one above, looks as if it has been restored. The one that I had, I never had any problems with, and had for a good many years, even in moving from place to place, no problems, but I am guessing, “someone” must have liked it better than me, and just helped their selves to it.
“Can you dance this fast?”
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