How Times Have Changed

Help Support CattleToday:

JW IN VA

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 7, 2013
Messages
1,289
Reaction score
135
Location
West Central Highlands of Va
December 13,1973.It was cloudy,damp day in Va.What the locals call"Raw". I went o the school board office then DMV where I took my test to be able to drive a school bus.Passed and drove a load of kids home with ice or snow along the side of the road.
The interesting thing to young people today is:
I was 16.
 
JW IN VA":5o3smn7h said:
December 13,1973.It was cloudy,damp day in Va.What the locals call"Raw". I went o the school board office then DMV where I took my test to be able to drive a school bus.Passed and drove a load of kids home with ice or snow along the side of the road.
The interesting thing to young people today is:
I was 16.

That was a long time ago in another place and time known as the Twilight Zone.
 
I drove one too. I was the first one on the bus and the last one to get off so it only made sense that I drive the bus and get paid.
 
Yupper, safety and liability concerns in '73 were on a different level than today.
16 yr olds in '73 were just as dumb and careless as they are today.
Back in the '30s my Mom got her driver license by paying the fee, no test required, just like buying a fishing license.

p.s.
She was an excellent driver her whole life, no accidents and only 1 speeding ticket in well over 60 years as a driver.
 
Remember when it was the custom for someone to sit up all night with the dead. Never did know why that was done.
 
cowboy43":9fao13eq said:
Remember when it was the custom for someone to sit up all night with the dead. Never did know why that was done.

That was before my time, but I remember my father talking about it. I asked him why once, and he said that the windows were left open, and they stayed with the body to make sure the cats didn't bother it.
 
cowboy43":3lmb2ilk said:
Remember when it was the custom for someone to sit up all night with the dead. Never did know why that was done.

And they were in the parlor (living room) to boot.
Had an uncle that owned couple package stores at the county line that was murdered ruled suicide.
He was shot in the chest and head with a 45
Remember dad and my uncles opening up his shirt looking at the wound.
 
JW IN VA":1vqc7aln said:
December 13,1973.It was cloudy,damp day in Va.What the locals call"Raw". I went o the school board office then DMV where I took my test to be able to drive a school bus.Passed and drove a load of kids home with ice or snow along the side of the road.
The interesting thing to young people today is:
I was 16.

You were a person who recognized responsibility - not that common today.
 
I was baby sitting for neighbor kids when I was 11 and 12. My mom was a stay at home mom, so I had someone to call in an emergency. When I was 13, some friends had a premature baby and when they came home and all got settled and doing good although tiny, I was asked to be their regular sitter. Talk about trust. I always felt very priviledged that they liked/trusted me that much. I also used to get all the kids from 2-4 couples who were friends, all together at one house so the parents could all go out or just get together at a different house for a night "without the kids". Thought nothing of having anywhere from3 to 8 kids. They minded me, we took my horse out to ride, we did funstuff, and They would want me to stay longer. Sure, they tried me, but I was responsible for their welfare and I took it seriously.

Today, holy cow, not ever happening.
 
farmerjan":3kngswkp said:
I was baby sitting for neighbor kids when I was 11 and 12. My mom was a stay at home mom, so I had someone to call in an emergency. When I was 13, some friends had a premature baby and when they came home and all got settled and doing good although tiny, I was asked to be their regular sitter. Talk about trust. I always felt very priviledged that they liked/trusted me that much. I also used to get all the kids from 2-4 couples who were friends, all together at one house so the parents could all go out or just get together at a different house for a night "without the kids". Thought nothing of having anywhere from 3 to 8 kids. They minded me, we took my horse out to ride, we did funstuff, and They would want me to stay longer. Sure, they tried me, but I was responsible for their welfare and I took it seriously.

Today, holy cow, not ever happening.
Sure it does, just a couple months ago in the news about mother leaving a baby, and 3 year old with 8 year old babysitter while making a crack run and forgot to come back for 2 days.
 
Son of Butch":1d40rz1n said:
farmerjan":1d40rz1n said:
I was baby sitting for neighbor kids when I was 11 and 12. My mom was a stay at home mom, so I had someone to call in an emergency. When I was 13, some friends had a premature baby and when they came home and all got settled and doing good although tiny, I was asked to be their regular sitter. Talk about trust. I always felt very priviledged that they liked/trusted me that much. I also used to get all the kids from 2-4 couples who were friends, all together at one house so the parents could all go out or just get together at a different house for a night "without the kids". Thought nothing of having anywhere from 3 to 8 kids. They minded me, we took my horse out to ride, we did funstuff, and They would want me to stay longer. Sure, they tried me, but I was responsible for their welfare and I took it seriously.

Today, holy cow, not ever happening.
Sure it does, just a couple months ago in the news about mother leaving a baby, and 3 year old with 8 year old babysitter while making a crack run and forgot to come back for 2 days.

Wellllllllll, it might be happening, but not in the context I was referring to.... I meant that today not many responsible adults would feel comfortable with having a 13 yr old taking care of a premie like I did. OBVIOUSLY, the "mother" you mentioned above, which is a term I would use very loosely, more like she was the oven for the incubation period.... was not a responsible one ...duh... I mean to go out and buy crack.... I know it happens, but I still have a hard time wrapping my head around people who use drugs. Maybe because of all the ones they have tried on me for pain, like from my car wreck in 1989, and the feeling of being disconnected that made me feel so out of control that I HATED, I cannot see the allure of drugs. Maybe I am a control addict... but I want to know what I am doing when I am doing it.... not be floating off somewhere in LALA land.
 
cowboy43":1hlphr37 said:
Remember when it was the custom for someone to sit up all night with the dead. Never did know why that was done.

That is still a custom that is done at least by some here in east KY.
 
Ky hills":2et94vwc said:
cowboy43":2et94vwc said:
Remember when it was the custom for someone to sit up all night with the dead. Never did know why that was done.

That is still a custom that is done at least by some here in east KY.


Laws here have stopped that unless you want to pay someone with a mortician license to be at the house.
When my BIL died in Oklahoma cost a fortune to get him home.
I told them my cousin and I would come and get him. Cousin is a licensed mortician. Oklahoma wasn't having it because he wasn't licensed in Oklahoma.
Had to fly him in to Houston.
Long way from my grandpa's funeral and the casket in an old truck to the cemetery.
 
Caustic Burno":23wlpu6y said:
Ky hills":23wlpu6y said:
cowboy43":23wlpu6y said:
Remember when it was the custom for someone to sit up all night with the dead. Never did know why that was done.

That is still a custom that is done at least by some here in east KY.


Laws here have stopped that unless you want to pay someone with a mortician license to be at the house.
When my BIL died in Oklahoma cost a fortune to get him home.
I told them my cousin and I would come and get him. Cousin is a licensed mortician. Oklahoma wasn't having it because he wasn't licensed in Oklahoma.
Had to fly him in to Houston.
Long way from my grandpa's funeral and the casket in an old truck to the cemetery.

I am kind of surprised that that isn't the case here too, but frequently folks will have the body brought to a church and family and friends will stay the night there until the service the next day. It looks like to me that it would cost more to take the body from the funeral home to the church than to have a visitation service at the funeral home, I don't know. Also most are buried in family cemeteries, graves dug by hand by family members.
 

Latest posts

Top