“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!

Sparton 6AM06

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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