Today, if an umbrella turns inside out and breaks, we would probably get a new one. When I was a little girl in Port Chester, N.Y., on Main Street there was an “umbrella man” who had a little cart on the sidewalk and, for a small charge, would repair the umbrella. We didn’t have the money to buy a new one. Also, on Main Street, was a shoe repair store where shoes could be re-soled or re-heeled—much cheaper than buying new shoes.
In those days, we walked to school. Also, we walked home for lunch and walked back to school—all within a one-hour lunch period.
A Sunday afternoon drive after church and a big family lunch were typical events.
I remember selling garden seeds and another time greeting cards to earn money. Most of the neighbors bought them. I think they felt sorry for me out there in the summer heat.
These are a few memories. Maybe I’ll write some more another time.
—Bernadette R. Gentry