Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

Weeks after I began seeing Mary as she took the long way home when I was home on Mondays. I asked her to a movie and we began to see each other on and off.

During the week Doris who knew that I was dating said "I would like to meet your date. Why don't you bring her for dinner Sunday." I hesitated but she said it wasn't special. She just wanted to meet your mother to be. I said okay.

To get back to the Club. There were a number of activities. Our ages were from 8 to 18 years. Each member. Each member had to pay dues if they wanted to belong. The dues were set aside to be turned over to the counsel.

Every year there would be an election any member could run for office. And one thing that they cold do was to decided how to spend the dues money. They were given wide discretion and could spend all on candy. This rattled the board of directors of the club who were adult businessmen and women (one). But it was accepted and everyone learned that the counsel members who ranged in age from 8 to 18 years were on the conservative side. Money was spent on the needs of the Club. o got a budget to purchase games.

The membership in age groups could play basketball. There was a coach in charge. He also had the job at the school department. He developed some good teams. And instructions not to engage in conversation with him. He was good but odd.

Older members held dances and grand marches. Those in the 7th grade and up. The staff had to keep its eyes open to make sure that that was no monkey business going on. If it appeared, go to the couple and tell the male partner that you were cutting. At times the orchestra stopped for a Paul Jones. A circle was formed boy, girl, boy, girl... and the band would start up and all were faced so taht there would be movement around the circle of boy, girl, boy girl passing each other, the band would stop and the boy and girl who were facing each other became dancing partners.

The adult members could play table tennis, billiards. The billiards players got a lesson one afterrnoon from the national champion. Dressed in evening clothes. Tuxedo. On the grounds that it was a gentlemen's game.

Table games and also workshops with an instructor that taught the use of tools and wood and the toys, trays etc. that could be made. And the using of aluminum cut in circles and putting them over a form produced a fruit bowl or bowl for some other uses. And put over a form hit it with a mallet and it would begin taking shape also it could be decorated by different designs and then pour acid in it and let it eat the meat. I did a plain one.

And one activity that had a lot of people surprised. A boys cooking class. Unbelievable. In their first year, they cooked a dinner for the Board of Directors, Charlie, me. I was seated next to the only woman on the Board. She asked for a cigarette and I said I don't smoke (I didn't at that time) She was surprised., she asked if I swore. I said no. She then addressed Charlie and said, "Charles what kind of a man do you have here, he doesn't smoke, drink, or curse." He laughed and so did the board members. I understood later she did all three.

It was also a time when the Club's budget was not what was given by the United funds, etc. and it appeared that there shod be a cut in staff to get through the year.

She brought this up to me asked me if I knew that a staff cut was in the making. She asked if I would be looking for a job. I replied I would need to do. It turned out to be a good answer. It developed that the secretary had asked a board member in business, if he was hiring or knew where a job could be had because there was going to be a staff cut.

At the next meeting of the Board when Skip came in that night he said well. You did ok at that dinner. You had the woman Board member champion you. When it came to cutting they decided that the secretary was necessary and I was to go. She heard the male Board member say that the secretary had asked him for a job or where she could find another one.

She spoke up and said that's a hell of a thing. "There was no loyalty in that girl. I asked the young assistant what he was going to do with an employee's cut. His answer "Look for a job if I'm cut." That statement kept my job.

Also one night shortly after the cut Skip came in from work. And he asked me if I had sex with the secretary. I answered taht I did not. I said she did want to be kissed. She asked me. I did and that was first and last. Well he said we are the only tow men in town who didn't.

It did not hit the papers or spread about town. Just a few people knew about that. I found out from Skip.