In the summer of '58 my mother was younger than my sons. Let that sink in a minute. My Mom was younger than my own children and I was five years old. I can't say with certainty I remember a whole lot about that summer, with one exception, a record that she bought. It was a forty five on the MGM label. It was a tune by Sheb Wooley, "purple people eater". I can remember Mom playing that song over and over. A novelty hit they call it. I checked online and it was no. 1. I also know that she bought it from Harry Goldstein a traveling salesman, sorta. Goldstein owned a large department store somewhere up the Island. He also had a green panel truck that went from door to door and took orders from his catalogue. I can't say with absolute certainty what other goods were available but he sold records ! I'm not certain if you could just pay on time or if it was a cash transaction, I just remember seeing the man and that panel truck.
Yes, back in '58 a good deal of our shopping was done in that way. We used Sears and Roebuck, Montgomery Ward and J.C. Penny. All were mail order houses and had the " revolving " credit plans. Sears was the leader of the pack in our house and that Christmas wish book was extraordinary. a regular " google " before there was google. There was a Sears outlet store in Skimhampton were you could pick up your order. The lady would call and tell you your package was in. Mom was almost always home to answer the call. Remember there was no such thing as cell phones, answering machines or text messages ! The only text message we got was a card in the mailbox saying your order was available for pick up. I don't recall ever seeing a Fedex or UPS truck deliver anything to my house, maybe they did, but I doubt that. Communications wasn't as quick or persistent as they are today. The Sears lady would call once or maybe twice and try to catch you home, that was a courtesy call really and good for business.
Living on a dirt road at the edge of Northwest woods we didn't get a lot of traveling salesman. I know that they were around though. The fuller brush man and a shoe salesman I had seen uptown. Well, those "upstreeters" could afford those fancy brushes and wing tipped shoes. The uptown ladies just sat around brushing their hair most of the time anyway. When you don't do any real work for a living, like just selling something, you can wear wing tipped shoes too. Wing tips don't work well in a fishing dory. I don't think that shoe salesman sold waders.
It has been said that songs are something you remember. I believe that. I can remember the lyrics to lots of songs from my childhood but can't recite too many lessons from school. I'm not sure why that purple people eater song came to mind this morning but it did. I can hear those lyrics right now. I suppose Mom played that song for a good while and that is why it stuck with me. Seems funny now that my mother would like a silly song like that. Seems funny now that Mom was that young ! The same way the grandkids look at me sometimes I suppose, is he really that old ? What memory of me will they carry ?
In a way it is a shame the traveling salesman went the way of the dinosaur. It was a social event when they did come. Mr. Goldstein would arrive in his dusty old panel truck carrying a catalogue. Hr would point out the newest thing and what you could get a bargain on. He was your " friend " and cared about your well being. Why this new product was just what you needed. I expect he carried some stock items with him on that truck for immediate sale. Now when the insurance guy came around that was a different matter, all he wanted was money. A man I knew only as " mouse " a nickname my dad gave him would arrive driving a volkswagen beetle..He wanted the monthly payment on that life insurance policy and always tried to sell you more. Sometimes Mom would hide and pretend we were not home. Thing is, he always came back.
I'm not sure when, but at some point that all stopped. Mr. Goldstein didn't come anymore and neither did mouse. I don't ever recall " Avon calling. " When the milk man stopped delivering I can't say, must have been sometime in the early 60's. The end of an era that will never be again. Too dangerous to do that stuff nowadays and not cost effective. Going online just isn't the same as looking through the catalogues. Having someone come right to your door ? I probably wouldn't open it, just hide and make believe I'm not home. You can't be sure what kind of nut might be there !
Yes, back in '58 a good deal of our shopping was done in that way. We used Sears and Roebuck, Montgomery Ward and J.C. Penny. All were mail order houses and had the " revolving " credit plans. Sears was the leader of the pack in our house and that Christmas wish book was extraordinary. a regular " google " before there was google. There was a Sears outlet store in Skimhampton were you could pick up your order. The lady would call and tell you your package was in. Mom was almost always home to answer the call. Remember there was no such thing as cell phones, answering machines or text messages ! The only text message we got was a card in the mailbox saying your order was available for pick up. I don't recall ever seeing a Fedex or UPS truck deliver anything to my house, maybe they did, but I doubt that. Communications wasn't as quick or persistent as they are today. The Sears lady would call once or maybe twice and try to catch you home, that was a courtesy call really and good for business.
Living on a dirt road at the edge of Northwest woods we didn't get a lot of traveling salesman. I know that they were around though. The fuller brush man and a shoe salesman I had seen uptown. Well, those "upstreeters" could afford those fancy brushes and wing tipped shoes. The uptown ladies just sat around brushing their hair most of the time anyway. When you don't do any real work for a living, like just selling something, you can wear wing tipped shoes too. Wing tips don't work well in a fishing dory. I don't think that shoe salesman sold waders.
It has been said that songs are something you remember. I believe that. I can remember the lyrics to lots of songs from my childhood but can't recite too many lessons from school. I'm not sure why that purple people eater song came to mind this morning but it did. I can hear those lyrics right now. I suppose Mom played that song for a good while and that is why it stuck with me. Seems funny now that my mother would like a silly song like that. Seems funny now that Mom was that young ! The same way the grandkids look at me sometimes I suppose, is he really that old ? What memory of me will they carry ?
In a way it is a shame the traveling salesman went the way of the dinosaur. It was a social event when they did come. Mr. Goldstein would arrive in his dusty old panel truck carrying a catalogue. Hr would point out the newest thing and what you could get a bargain on. He was your " friend " and cared about your well being. Why this new product was just what you needed. I expect he carried some stock items with him on that truck for immediate sale. Now when the insurance guy came around that was a different matter, all he wanted was money. A man I knew only as " mouse " a nickname my dad gave him would arrive driving a volkswagen beetle..He wanted the monthly payment on that life insurance policy and always tried to sell you more. Sometimes Mom would hide and pretend we were not home. Thing is, he always came back.
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