Depression Entertainment

Just now, while I was watching a movie about a trial and saw the daughter wanting to see a trial, I was reminded of a woman who loved a good trial.

This was during the Depression. My friend John said his mother loved a good trial. I knew his mother, so this was of interest to me.

It seems she attended trials just for fun. A good murder trial would keep her entertained for several days of the trial. She could not be deterred. Fortunately, there were not many murders, but any juicy trial would do. Murders were her favorite, and she did not have to know the people involved! She could attend all day and be home in time to cook dinner.

John laughed, very amused at his mother, when he told this story.

She was the same woman who attended a party and drove away with the beer truck. It seems that the driver of the beer truck made an unscheduled stop and shared some of his employer's beer. John's mother sneaked away from the party and her husband to take half a dozen little boys on a joy ride in the truck. She had never driven a large truck and shifted it, so this was a real adventure for her.

Even though they stayed gone a while, John said they got back before anyone missed the truck or the little boys. His mother was on cloud nine for weeks.

She encouraged her husband to drive fast when they were on his motorcycle. Even when I knew her, she always wanted John and even me to drive faster.

This was the same woman who defied her husband and cut her waist-length of hair, getting a bob when it was all the rage. John said his father mourned the loss of her hair and resented her defiance until the day he died.

I did not mean to post this today, but it's done. Don't forget to read the pine cone post from this morning also. It is just below this post.