Reflections Through a Glass of Beer

As I write this, I'm enjoying the first of two homemade tuna fish sandwiches (lots of onions!) with a cold bottle of Coors beer. The second sandwich will be accompanied by a second Coors. (one sandwich, one beer; two sandwiches, two beers). Laura Scudder's Potato Chips round out the simple but highly satisfying menu.

I'm sure there are readers out there who remember Hopalong Cassidy, at least from seeing him on TV. However, the character, developed by writer Clarence E. Mulford in 1912, and as portrayed by William Boyd, took root in 1935. "Hop-Along Cassidy" was the first of a long running movie series. Six films were initially planned but the series was so popular that by the end of its run in 1948, 66 episodes had been produced, all with Boyd as Hoppy. That is still the record for one actor playing the same role in a film series.

The 1960's didn't witness only the invasion of the Beatles along with other British groups. Americans are notorious for their love of fads. So, with the arrival of British rock 'n' roll, food seemed to be the logical next arrival from England. And it was. Fish and chips. Names like Carnaby Street (near us in La Puente; it's still there!) started popping up and became popular. The food was good, the menu simple (then); white fish, battered and  deep-fried, French fries, tartar sauce and malt vinegar. Good eats at a fair price.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame was established in 1958. As of Jan. 1, 2016, there are 2,570 stars in place. Each star is made of pink coral terrazzo and brass, inlaid in black terrazzo. The Walk is so popular that an estimated 10 millions visitors view it yearly. Names like Joanne Woodward, Bob Hope, Mickey Rooney, Dinah Shore, Gale Storm, John Wayne, will forever be immortalized along the Walk of Fame. However, one will stand out. Clayton Moore's name is the only one to have a film character along side it: The Lone Ranger.

School bullying is a national concern. In my day, we had our own way of dealing with it. In grade school, up into junior high, we occasionally had slower students who were sometimes picked on or teased by students from other classrooms. But not for long; a few of the boys in my class (including yours truly) took care of the issue before the teachers got involved. Some choice words (and a threatened knuckle-sandwich) worked wonders. In fact, a knuckle-sandwich actually worked on one occasion..We took care of our own.

After WWII, the need for new homes was critical. Levittown, New York became the prototype for the familiar tract home. With great prices, a family,with one paycheck, could afford a new home.The one we bought in 1955, was $9250. With $395 down, $66/mo was a cinch. It had 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, a double car garage on a spacious lot. A big reason for low prices...1200 homes were in the development, including new schools and a new shopping center, ALL within walking distance. America could use this idea today.