How often have we heard older people refer to “Back in the Good Old Days” ? Endless amount of times, I’d bet, and yet, maybe in some sense, they truly were good.
David and I went shopping for Mom yesterday, to Zellers. She needed a new housecoat and a couple of night gowns, so we figured, Zellers. Got half of what we wanted, which is a whole different post.
Point is, that at dinner, Mom began talking about the Good Old Days. How her family moved to Edmonton in 1939, the day before War was declared. Not a good time, and yet, many older people recall those days as being good. I think I can understand why, but Mom wasn’t thinking about the war, but instead about the move to the Big City. It was a huge change for her.
She recalled too, how she decided to go to the new store in the city, Zellers. They had been advertising for help when she moved, but figured there might be part time work still available. I mean you have to remember, this is 1939, and the Great Depression wasn’t exactly over.
Turns out she got hired full time, some 70 years ago, to work in Woman’s Wear, where cotton socks were selling for 12¢. I don’t know, but damn I’d like to get some cotton socks for that price today, and I’ll lay you ten to one, they were a better quality than what we get today. Oh, and I am sure they weren’t made in China either.
It is interesting though, to listen to hear talk about those times. Like how the store manager was impressed with her sales ability, and yes, she even remembered his name. I wonder, how many clerks in Zellers today know the name of their store manager?
Then there was how she would walk to work, with a few other girls, who were along the way. Now, how often do you see that today? People actually walking to work? I guess maybe those times may not have been great, economically, nor peaceful, but the friendships, the associations, seem to have been more important, and perhaps comforting, hence the memory of the times being good?
Just a thought, but then too, Mom talked how many girls would bring their lunches, and would go across to the diner, to order a drink or maybe a dessert, but not lunch. I mean you try bringing your lunch into a restaurant today, and only ordering a drink. Man, you’d be shown the door so fast, your heels wouldn’t touch the floor, if you were lucky. More than likely you’d also be harangued for your nerve.
Maybe they were the Good Old Days, because people were nicer, friendlier?