So here we have another story I can’t remember if I’ve told, or if it really matters as most normal people, even if they read this blog often, could not have read it all. It is a tale that I could have told a time or two.
Barry used to drive to school most mornings when we commuted to college, and he’d take Bob and me with him. Now I can’t remember if this was every day, as I for sure had a car, but it seemed like he drove often, and we lived near each other in the beginning, as we all lived at home. Later on two of us were married, and lived elsewhere, although we all stayed friends for years to come.
Anyway, Barry had an old Ford I believe, as did I. Mine was a 1950, his was probably ’51 or ’52 and I believe it was a two door, which is a great part of the story.
Barry took his mother to work often, as she worked at Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore, and it was right on our way to art school.
Barry’s right hand car door was broken. Something happened, maybe a lock problem or an accident caused lock problem, but it doesn’t matter today, the door just didn’t shut properly. In the 50’s and 60’s, you took care of these kinds of things yourself, and you did as best as you could. A broken door initially was repaired by using a piece of rope, tying it through the front and back windows, around the pillar and thus hold the door together. This was a simple solution of course, but it would work for a time until you figured out what to do next.
One morning, we all were going to school and work, with Barry’s Mom in the front seat, and Barry made a particularly sharp right turn around a corner. He was not going fast, the door opened (as would sometimes happen) and his Mom fell out of the car!
The story was funny because she was a trooper, she wasn’t hurt, she dusted herself off and we continued the trip.
Barry did fix the door, his mother continued to drive with us and all was forgiven.
Nice story! Those days at art school are precious memories to me. I remember sitting in the "cafeteria" with the vending machines in the morning. I was in awe of you, Bob and Barry! The painting department under Dick Ireland.
ReplyDeleteI was driven to school my first year by my Dad who had a dry cleaning store on Pennsylvania and Dolphin.
It was a new world for me in Baltimore to cross North Avenue! I stayed in the neighborhood of the school for 35 years. Since I still live in Baltimore, I have seen the remarkable changes from those vending machines in the cafeteria to boutique dining on the campus that now occupies Mount Royal Avenue. And lastly, could you imagine a family today with only one car to share rides with? My kids their own cars in high school. Love your stories.
Susan Krieger