MY BROWNIE STORY
-or-
WHY I NEVER BECAME A SMOKER
I have always had more than a
simple nostalgic connection
to Brownies - and I know precisely why.
Brownies are uniquely associated with an immensely important life lesson
which I learned at a very tender age. The passing of years has clouded just
how much of this story is first-hand recollection, and how much is
attributable to hearing endless retellings of it by my grandfather, who
played a key role in it.
It must have been in the early
50s, as I believe that I was maybe
5 or 6 years old. Granddaddy had taken me
out in his car to go somewhere, but that is very foggy. Anyway, it was some
errand, and he promised me that we would stop for a Brownie before returning
to my grandparents' home on 47th Street. Perhaps the stop was to
be at Joe Milan's, because my mental picture is
of traveling north on
Huntington Avenue. It was all I could talk about; I loved Brownies. I mean
- chocolate and cold,
sometimes with little ice
crystals having formed. I couldn't wait to get the business completed and
wrap my little hands around that wonderful bottle, exactly like the ones you
see on this page.
As curious and impatient little
boys are wont to do, I had been "fiddling" with the cigarette lighter
throughout the trip - repeatedly pushing it in and pulling it out of the
receptacle and looking at the business end - even touching it. I had seen
the glowing coils
in the lighter in my father's car, and, of course, fire is
intoxicating to little boys. I remember being surprised that Granddaddy had
not told me to stop. Soon I was to learn why.
I must have pushed it in a little
too far, and, when I removed it, I touched it to the end of my index finger
as I had done 20 times before. Only this time I heard the sizzle, saw the
smoke, and "FELT THE PAIN". I let out a scream and began to cry; through
the tears I could see that I had branded myself with the characteristic
spiral of the lighter. Granddaddy looked on with amusement - knowing that I
had now learned the aforementioned "life lesson". But, he just couldn't
leave it at that. Stifling a laugh, but not the hint of a smile, he asked
if I still wanted to stop for the Brownie. Through flowing tears and
heaving chest, I replied, "No-o-o-o-o-o, Granddaddy, I just wanna go-o-o
ho-o-o-ome." "Are you sure? You really wanted a Brownie." "No-o-o-o,
Granddaddy, let's go ho-o-o-ome."
Ever since, I cannot see or even
think about a Brownie without the end of my finger tingling. But I don't
play with car cigarette lighters, anymore.
- Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA
- 01/26/04 |
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I
first realized what an attachment I had to these dishes in 1988. We
decided to replace all our Tupperware dishes with glass. With seven
children in the house ranging from 18 to 1, I thought it best to purchase
something inexpensive which could be replaced easily when the inevitable
breakage occurred. I thought I'd just go pick up these lovely green
dishes. They were, after all, my favorite color. I soon found
that they hadn't been manufactured since 1970. By that
time, I REALLY wanted them anyway and the chase began.
Fortunately, we lived in
Illinois at the time (long known as a haven for collectors), and Jadite dishes were still plentiful
in the right
places.
So I began amassing a collection which now compares rather nicely
with Martha Stewart's.
My only question was - which of
my relatives had all that Jadite? Not my mother, not my grandmother,
none of my aunts; it was a mystery. The last time I remember seeing
any was in the cafeteria at the Pentagon in January of 1969. It turns
out I had a deep and abiding sentimental attachment to eating out.
Come to think of it, I still
do. - Carol
Buckley Harty of NC - 11/22/03 |
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It's not a long stretch to
realizing why these dishes mean so much to me. Their color is not
really one of my favorites, and the intense shine borders on the gaudy. But
none of that matters; when I see them I dissolve into a puddle of
sentimentality.
These were plentiful in our home as I was growing up, because they were
offered as prizes at Buckroe Beach Amusement Park.
My favorite Arcade games were
Pull the String and Duck Pond, so I played as often as my indulgent parents
would allow. As often as not, I won a large Fire King opalescent
caramel bowl. This didn't seem
to thrill me much then,
but it certainly would now. - Carol
Buckley Harty of NC - 11/22/03 |
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"Jacks Salads" is a product I grew up
with and still to this day, other than my homemade, that was my favorite potato
salad!!! The owner, Jack Welstead
is still living, and is in his 90's!!! He is a member of
Calvary! I
was in shock when I was told he was still with us!!
I remember his store that was on the corner of 48th and Huntington 1/2 block
from Calvary! Gad,
the memories!
I really believed we grew up in great times!
- Sarah Puckett Kressaty of VA -
01/25/04
Thanks, Sarah! So we did!!
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My husband (Myles Hudson of the Class of 60, Warwick High School) wanted
to know
if anyone remembers the Grapette Soda which also was popular.
- Cathy Slusser
Hudson ('64) of VA - 09/18/05
Thanks, Cathy - and yes, I certainly do remember the Grapette drinks! They were delicious!
~*~*~*~*~*~
I have no
recollection of Grapette. What was it??
- Dave Spriggs
('64) of VA -09/25/05
Oh, my
goodness - I'm shocked!
Grapette
was a grape carbonated soda, in competition with the carbonated grape
"Tiny". They were both in smaller bottles than the grape and orange
Tru-Ades and Pals, which were noncarbonated. Cathy Slusser Hudson's
husband, Myles, raised the topic a few days ago. I recall the Grapette
more clearly than the Tiny (because I preferred it), but they were both
delicious - far better than any grape soda currently on the market.
I wish I
had one now!
Thanks, Dave!
~*~*~*~*~*~
I saw some
discussion about "Tiny", which is as unfamiliar as Grapette. To be honest,
Tru-Ade is equally unknown...
Sorry, somehow I never encountered these products. Remember, I was not in
the area from 1955 - 1961.
- Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA
-09/25/05
You
never had a Grapette??? How very sad! They were soooo yummy (must
have been loaded with sugar!). Sodas do tend sometimes to be regional. It
had forgotten that. It never occurred to me that you wouldn't be familiar
with them. ~*~*~*~*~*~
Hi Carol -- attached are a couple
of Grapette bottle pix you can add to the collection. And let's not forget "Orangette".
Didn't see one often. I saw "Lemonette" very rarely. I didn't like them compared
to Pal Ade. There was just something about carbonated
Orange & Lemon that seemed to be against God's natural plan. ;-)
Gray's Confectionary at the corner of 38th and Huntington almost always had
Tiny, Grapette, and Pal in stock.
- Ron Miller ('59) of NC - 09/26/05
Oh, WOWZERS!!! I
don't really remember the second bottle at all (perhaps it was a later version
and that's one of the factors contributing to its demise???), but look at that
first one - WOW! It had such an elegant, comforting shape to it. It felt so nice
and happy in my hand - what a delight! It's such a treat just to see it again!
(As you may have noticed by now, I'm very easily amused....)
Thanks so much, Ronnie! But it's too late. I have long since forgotten Orangette
and Lemonette - SHEESH! GIGGLES!!!
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I think the
grape drinks were called "Tinys", maybe because they were in such small
bottles.
They were wonderful and I always had a dime for one. Wish we could find
them? : )
- Helen Flax Kierstead
('59) of Ontario - 09/21/05
Hey,
Helen! You may have something there! I vividly remember the non-carbonated
Pals
and Tru-Ades, as
well as the carbonated Grapettes (and of course the strangely wonderful
chocolate Brownie drinks!) but there may also have been a carbonated grape
drink called "Tiny"! I can almost remember it.....
~*~*~*~*~*~
Helen Flax Kierstead
('59) of Ontario made reference to a grape drink by the trade
name "Tiny" and I recall such a product. The only place I remember
drinking them was in Salem, VA at the meat packing plant owned by my
grandfather Keith. He had a drink cooler on the loading dock of Keith's
Sausage for the employees to use during their breaks, and although it was
a coin operated machine, it did not require a coin. The Tiny drink would
get so cold that potions of it would freeze after taking the first drink,
and that made it ever better.
- Joe Madagan ('57) of FL
- 09/22/05
Thanks,
Joe!
~*~*~*~*~*~
For Helen
Flax Kierstead ('58) of Ontario
-- you are right -- there were
grape drinks called "Tinys". I never could decide whether I liked them or
Grapettes or Pals
the best. Believe me,
I drank them all -- as frequently as I could afford them!
:-)
As I recall,
the Tinys and Grapettes were about the same size. The Pals were only
slightly larger.
- Ron Miller ('59) of NC - 09/22/05
Oh,
yeah!!! It's all coming back! Thanks so much, Ronnie!
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I note that in the Nostalgic Artifacts section there is no "Spur Glass."
Attached you will find a photo of three pieces that I have. Just in case
you don't remember what this is, We had SPUR gas stations in the area that
sold gas for about 19 cents a gallon in the mid 50s and with your gas you
got a piece of pink glassware or credits towards a larger piece. Some of it
is somewhat valuable today although I have no idea what my pieces are
worth.
- Al Simms ('60) of VA -
12/20/05
WOWZERONI! What lovely pink depression glass! I'll
tell you what it's worth - a nice chunk-a money!
Thank you for sharing this image with us. Pink depression glass is
probably the most representative of all nostalgic artifacts, and the page
was lacking without any. I didn't include it for the simple reason
that I've never collected it. I collect so many other things, I
decided to try to exercise some restraint and not start with this.
I've only
owned two pieces in my life, and one of those, a pretty tiny heart shaped
candy dish, I gave away about five years ago to a dear friend who does have
a nice collection of "the pink".
The other piece, a covered Fostoria Candy dish, I bought after I moved here
to Fayetteville. I saw it in a second hand shop for about $3.00 or $4.00
dollars, and lost all that hard-earned restraint. I saw this identical dish
going on eBay for $20.00 - which is still a bargain. |
