Nostalgia ... It ' s a memory and longing for something past . by Duane Hill
Nostalgia----It ' s a memory and longing for something past . We all have something from our childhood that has been replaced with something easier , more technical , more profitable or more comfortable . But , for those who were born before the late 60 ' s , a “ way of life ” has been lost that we will never be able to relay to our children and grandchildren----except through pictures and tall tales that we share with them . Sadly , they will never feel the feelings , share the emotions or experience the excitement of all of the “ new gadgets ” that appeared in the 50 ' s and 60 ' s . Sound and pictures on the little box in the living room was our entertainment — television--black and white--fuzzy at times--wonderful all the time ! This box had the kids up early Saturday morning , sitting one foot from the screen waiting for the National Anthem to play . We were glued to the box as Old Glory blew in the wind . Excitement grew as the first cartoon of the morning finally appeared — Loonie Tunes . Bugs and the gang are still my favorite cartoon characters to this day . But something else was down the road from our house on Mt . View Road in King . The King Drive-In Theater !
We passed by it every day on the bus going home . We drove by it on the way to Don ' s barbershop to get my dad and brother ' s ears lowered . ( I tagged along to get a bottle of Coke with peanuts in it !) We gazed fondly at it when we came up old 52 making our way home from a trip to downtown Winston-Salem . It was big ! It was ominous ! It was a place kids always wanted to go . As a small child , we only went to the Drive-In a few times . The movies that I can fondly remember were “ Son of Flubber ” ( 1963 ), “ Mary Poppins ” ( 1964 ) and “ The Incredible Mr . Limpet ” ( 1964 ). I ' m sure that we saw a few more , but these three movies were enough for a lifetime for a little girl who was only seven ! Let me share the typical goings on of the Friday or Saturday movie night . First of all , daddy had to have some extra money , I ' m sure . Times were tight and you didn ' t waste money on frivolous activities . Secondly , there had to be a wholesome Warner Brothers / Walt Disney movie showing at the Drive-In that they could take me , Perry and Danny to . I can remember mama and daddy discussing the possibility of going . Excitement grew at the thought of getting ready and actually going through the tall white walls of the outer perimeter of the Drive-In---being allowed to be one of the participants of this great adventure called , Movie Night ! But , let ' s back up for a minute . Our night would begin at suppertime , with everyone sitting around the bar , being hastened to finish quickly so that we could get ready to go the movies . We barely ate from pure excitement . After the dishes were washed , Mama would get some towels , soap and a washcloth and commence to giving me and Danny a quick bath in the huge sink in the porch . I can remember it as if it was yesterday . Such a wonderful memory ….. Then , the pajamas were adorned , popcorn was popped , one more trip to the bathroom and we all loaded up in daddy ' s car for the minute drive to what we thought was heaven .
There were always a line of cars waiting to get in . Everyone would pull off of Mt . View Road and haphazardly group together on the oiled dirt that surrounded the Drive-In . We would await our turn to pull up to the cool little gray box with windows to pay for the contents of the vehicle . As we drove through the entrance , we tried our best to take it all in as if we had never been there before . We eyed the strange , gray metal poles attached to the long wire that led to the large heavy box . This awkward looking thing was the speaker . We stretched our necks to spy out the food building in the center of the parking area , and hoped we could get a drink to go with our popcorn that mama had made . We turned our eyes to the screen---the big , white , enormous screen that would light up in minutes to reveal a cartoon , an advertisement and eventually , the MAIN FEATURE ! WOW …. there it was ….. the playground that rested right under the screen . We would ask daddy ( you never begged back then ) if we could go and play on it . I think that we only played on it once or twice , but what fun . Some kids would swing all through the movie . Good times !
There was always the problem of positioning . Daddy would ride around through the rows of strange metal poles to find just the right spot for our car . You would sometimes have to move from your chosen spot because the speaker didn ' t work . Daddy wasn ' t a fan of speakers not working . We would then pull back out and go to another spot that would give you the next best view of the screen . All of the spaces were angled up so that everyone in the car , even “ back-seaters ”, could see out of the windshield . Daddy would roll down the window and take the speaker off of the pole and place the hook on the edge of the window . Such a great invention !! Music played — a local radio station---and we gleamed that we had a working “ odd box ”.
Mama would divvy out the popcorn and daddy would go to the little building ( which also housed the film projector ) and get us a drink . As Perry was a lot older , he would go along to help carry the drinks back . And then----there it was---a loud crackling sound as the manager welcomed everyone to the King Drive-In and tried his best to persuade everyone to visit the snack bar . Danny and I knew that candy and all kinds of goodies were in there , but we were happy with popcorn and drinks . After a few more minutes of music , the screen would come to life . Wonderment poured through us as this huge screen hosted popcorn boxes , drink cups and candy boxes dancing around on the screen beckoning you to buy , buy and buy ! Then , the cartoons began . Oh , what joy flowed through our little souls . We listened intently so as not to miss a word that came out of the “ odd box ” on our window . After the cartoons , there would be a still screen with the same animated food items for a few seconds . We eyed the screen waiting for the movie to start , mumbling and laughing as we joked around .
Then , there it was ! “ Warner Brothers Presents ………” -- “ Walt Disney Presents …….” We sat awestruck as the characters played out their parts to perfection . We laughed during the funny parts and were sad during the sad parts . We watched the big bugs fly in front of the screen and through the light from the projector . We heard the laughter from all of the other cars around us . We absorbed it all in until it was time to go home . “ Please , daddy , can we stay and watch the cartoon after the movie ?” He usually said , “ Yes ”.
Taillights came on one by one as the car engines were started . There was a sadness that the night was over , but our eyes were getting heavy with the lateness of the night and our little bodies longed to go to bed . We drove the short distance back to the house and daddy would carry me into the house . He would put me in the bed and cover me up as I hugged my teddy bear . As I laid there in the dark , the events of the night flowed through my head . A cherished family event had just transpired and I didn ' t even realize it .
I went to a few movies during my dating years in 1973 / 74 , but it was never quite the same . The enchantment was gone . The innocents of childhood and the over exaggerated largeness of the world in our little eyes had long passed . King Drive-In was torn down in the 70 ' s as walk-in theaters were being built and the Drive-In Theaters were passed by . Sheetz now stands where the King Drive-In stood as it entertained families throughout the week with the awe of Hollywood . If you ever had the opportunity to sit in your car or on a blanket in the back of your pick-up at the King Drive-In , then consider yourself fortunate . Many will never have the chance to enjoy the magic of the night , the stars , the sounds , the smells and the wonderment of the Drive-In Movie …….
www . foothillstimes . com 43
Nostalgia...It's a memory
and longing for something past.
by Duane Hill
Nostalgia----It's a memory and longing for something past. We all have something from our
childhood that has been replaced with something easier, more technical, more profitable or more
comfortable. But, for those who were born before the late 60's, a “way of life” has been lost that we
will never be able to relay to our children and grandchildren----except through pictures and tall tales
that we share with them. Sadly, they will never feel the feelings, share the emotions or experience
the excitement of all of the “new gadgets” that appeared in the 50's and 60's. Sound and pictures
on the little box in the living room was our entertainment—television--black and white--fuzzy at
times--wonderful all the time! This box had the kids up early Saturday morning, sitting one foot from
the screen waiting for the National Anthem to play. We were glued to the box as Old Glory blew in
the wind. Excitement grew as the first cartoon of the morning finally appeared—Loonie Tunes.
Bugs and the gang are still my favorite cartoon characters to this day. But something else was
down the road from our house on Mt. View Road in King. The King Drive-In Theater!
We passed by it every day on the bus going home. We drove by it on the way to Don's barbershop
to get my dad and brother's ears lowered. (I tagged along to get a bottle of Coke with peanuts in it!)
We gazed fondly at it when we came up old 52 making our way home from a trip to downtown Winston-Salem. It was big! It was ominous! It was a place
kids always wanted to go.
As a small child, we only went to the Drive-In a few times. The movies that I can fondly remember were “Son of Flubber” (1963), “Mary Poppins” (1964) and
“The Incredible Mr. Limpet” (1964). I'm sure that we saw a few more, but these three movies wer RV��Vv�f�"ƖfWF��Rf�"ƗGF�Rv�&�v��v2��ǒ6WfV���WB�R6�&RF�RG��6�v���w2���bF�Rg&�F��"6GW&F���f�R�v�B�f�'7B�b���FFG��BF��fR6��RW�G&���W���v�7W&R�F��W2vW&RF�v�B�B��RF�F�wBv7FR���W���g&�f���W27F�f�F�W2�6V6��Fǒ�F�W&R�BF�&R�v���W6��Rv&�W"'&�F�W'2�v�BF�6�W���f�R6��v��rBF�RG&�fRԖ�F�BF�W�6�V�BF�R�R�W''��BF��F���6�&V�V�&W"���BFFG��F�67W76��rF�R�76�&�ƗG��bv���r�W�6�FV�V�Bw&WrBF�RF��Vv�B�bvWGF��r&VG��B7GV�ǒv���rF�&�Vv�F�RF��v��FRv��2�bF�R�WFW"W&��WFW"�bF�P�G&�fRԖ����&V��r���vVBF�&R��R�bF�R'F�6��G2�bF��2w&VBGfV�GW&R6��VB���f�R�v�B�'WB��WBw2&6�Wf�"֖�WFR��W"�v�Bv�V�B&Vv��B7WW'F��R�v�F�WfW'���R6�GF��r&�V�BF�R&"�&V��r�7FV�VBF����6�V�6�ǒ6�F�BvR6�V�@�vWB&VG�F�v�F�R��f�W2�vR&&VǒFRg&��W&RW�6�FV�V�B�gFW"F�RF�6�W2vW&Rv6�VB���v�V�BvWB6��RF�vV�2�6��Bv6�6��F��@�6���V�6RF�v�f��r�R�BF��V�6�&F���F�R�VvR6����F�R�&6���6�&V�V�&W"�B2�b�Bv2�W7FW&F��7V6�v��FW&gV��V��'�(
b��F�V���F�R��2vW&RF�&�VB��6�&�v2�VB���R��&RG&�F�F�R&F�&����BvR����FVBW��FFG�w26"f�"F�R֖�WFRG&�fRF�v�BvRF��Vv�@�v2�VfV��F�W&RvW&R�v�2Ɩ�R�b6'2v�F��rF�vWB���WfW'���Rv�V�BV������b�B�f�Wr&�B�B���&Fǒw&�WF�vWF�W"��F�R���VBF�'BF�B7W'&�V�FV@�F�RG&�fRԖ��vRv�V�Bv�B�W"GW&�F�V��WF�F�R6���ƗGF�Rw&�&��v�F�v��F�w2F��f�"F�R6��FV�G2�bF�RfV��6�R�2vRG&�fRF�&�Vv�F�RV�G&�6R�vRG&�VB�W"&W7BF�F�R�B����2�bvR�B�WfW"&VV�F�W&R&Vf�&R�vRW�VBF�R7G&�vR�w&��WF���W2GF6�VBF�F�R���rv�&RF�B�VBF�F�R�&vR�Vg�&���F��2v�v&B������rF���rv2F�R7V�W"�vR7G&WF6�VB�W"�V6�2F�7��WBF�Rf��B'V��F��r��F�R6V�FW ��bF�R&���r&V��B��VBvR6�V�BvWBG&��F�v�v�F��W"�6�&�F�B���B�FR�vRGW&�VB�W"W�W2F�F�R67&VV����F�R&�r�v��FR��V��&��W267&VV�F�Bv�V�BƖv�BW��֖�WFW2F�&WfV�6'F�����GfW'F�6V�V�B�BWfV�GV�ǒ�F�R���dTEU$Rt�~(
b�F�W&R�Bv>(
b��F�P���w&�V�BF�B&W7FVB&�v�BV�FW"F�R67&VV��vRv�V�B6�FFG����R�WfW"&VvvVB&6�F�V��bvR6�V�Bv��B�����B��F���F�BvR��ǒ��V@����B��6R�"Gv�6R�'WBv�BgV��6��R��G2v�V�B7v��r��F�&�Vv�F�R��f�R�v��BF��W2�F�W&Rv2�v�2F�R&�&�V��b�6�F����r�FFG�v�V�B&�FR&�V�BF�&�Vv�F�R&�w2�b7G&�vR�WF���W2F����B�W7BF�R&�v�B7�Bf�"�W"6"���P�v�V�B6��WF��W2�fRF���fRg&����W"6��6V�7�B&V6W6RF�R7V�W"F�F�wBv�&��FFG�v6�wBf��b7V�W'2��Bv�&���r�vRv�V�BF�V�V���&6��WB�Bv�F���F�W"7�BF�Bv�V�Bv�fR��RF�R�W�B&W7Bf�Wr�bF�R67&VV�����bF�R76W2vW&R�v�VBW6�F�BWfW'���R��F�R6"�WfV�( �&6��6VFW'>( ��6�V�B6VR�WB�bF�Rv��G6��V�B�FFG�v�V�B&���F�v�F�Rv��F�r�BF�RF�R7V�W"����bF�R��R�B�6RF�R������F�RVFvR�bF�P�v��F�r�7V6�w&VB��fV�F����W6�2��VN( F��6�&F��7FF�������BvRv�V�VBF�BvR�Bv�&���r( ��FB&��( ����v�V�BF�gg��WBF�R�6�&��BFFG�v�V�Bv�F�F�RƗGF�R'V��F��r�v��6��6���W6VBF�R����&��V7F�"��BvWBW2G&���2W''�v2��B��FW"���Rv�V�Bv����rF��V�6''�F�RG&��2&6���BF�V�����F�W&R�Bv2�����VB7&6�Ɩ�r6�V�B2F�R��vW"vV�6��VBWfW'���RF�F�R���rG&�fRԖ��BG&�VB��2&W7BF�W'7VFRWfW'���RF�f�6�BF�R6�6�&"�F���B���WrF�B6�G��B�����G2�bv��F�W2vW&R��F�W&R�'WBvRvW&R��v�F���6�&��BG&��2�gFW"fWr��&R֖�WFW2�b�W6�2�F�R67&VV�v�V�B6��RF�ƖfR�v��FW&�V�B�W&VBF�&�Vv�W22F��2�VvR67&VV���7FVB�6�&�&��W2�G&��7W2�B6�G�&��W2F�6��r&�V�B��F�R67&VV�&V6����r��RF�'W��'W��B'W�F�V��F�R6'F���2&Vv�����v�B�����&�vV@�F�&�Vv��W"ƗGF�R6�V�2�vRƗ7FV�VB��FV�Fǒ6�2��BF�֗72v�&BF�B6�R�WB�bF�R( ��FB&��( ����W"v��F�r�gFW"F�R6'F���2�F�W&Rv�V�B&R7F����67&VV�v�F�F�R6�R��FVBf��B�FV�2f�"fWr6V6��G2�vRW�VBF�R67&VV�v�F��rf�"F�R��f�RF�7F'B��V�&Ɩ�r�B�Vv���r2vR���VB&�V�B�F�V��F�W&R�Bv2( �v&�W"'&�F�W'2&W6V�G>(
n(
n(
n( ���( �v�BF�6�W�&W6V�G>(
n(
b�( �vR6BvW7G'V6�2F�R6�&7FW'2��VB�WBF�V�"'G2F�W&fV7F����vR�Vv�VBGW&��rF�RgV��'G2�BvW&R6BGW&��rF�R6B'G2�vRvF6�VBF�R&�r'Vw2��'���g&��B�bF�R67&VV��BF�&�Vv�F�RƖv�Bg&��F�P�&��V7F�"�vR�V&BF�R�Vv�FW"g&�����bF�R�F�W"6'2&�V�BW2�vR'6�&&VB�B����V�F���Bv2F��RF�v����R�( ��V6R�FFG��6�vR7F��@�vF6�F�R6'F���gFW"F�R��f�S�( ��RW7V�ǒ6�B�( ŖW>( ��F��Ɩv�G26�R����R'���R2F�R6"V�v��W2vW&R7F'FVB�F�W&Rv26F�W72F�BF�R�v�Bv2�fW"�'WB�W"W�W2vW&RvWGF��r�Vg�v�F�F�P��FV�W72�bF�R�v�B�B�W"ƗGF�R&�F�W2���vVBF�v�F�&VB�vRG&�fRF�R6��'BF�7F�6R&6�F�F�R��W6R�BFFG�v�V�B6''��R��F�F�R��W6RआRv�V�BWB�R��F�R&VB�B6�fW"�RW2��VvvVBגFVFG�&V"�2���BF�W&R��F�RF&��F�RWfV�G2�bF�R�v�B��&�vVBF�&�Vv�ג�VB��6�W&�6�VBf֖ǒWfV�B�B�W7BG&�7�&VB�B�F�F�wBWfV�&VƗ�R�BऒvV�BF�fWr��f�W2GW&��rגFF��r�V'2���s2�sB�'WB�Bv2�WfW"V�FRF�R6�R�F�RV�6��F�V�Bv2v��R�F�R����6V�G2�b6���F���B�BF�P��fW"W�vvW&FVB�&vV�W72�bF�Rv�&�B���W"ƗGF�RW�W2�B���r76VB����rG&�fRԖ�v2F�&�F�v���F�Rsw22vƲ֖�F�VFW'2vW&R&V��r'V��B�@�F�RG&�fRԖ�F�VFW'2vW&R76VB'��6�VWG���r7F�G2v�W&RF�R���rG&�fRԖ�7F��B2�BV�FW'F��VBf֖ƖW2F�&�Vv��WBF�RvVV�v�F�F�RvR�`����Ǘv��B��b��RWfW"�BF�R��'GV�G�F�6�B����W"6"�"��&��WB��F�R&6��b��W"�6��WBF�R���rG&�fRԖ��F�V�6��6�FW"��W'6V�bf�'GV�FR���v����WfW"�fRF�R6��6RF�V���F�R�v�2�bF�R�v�B�F�R7F'2�F�R6�V�G2�F�R6�V��2�BF�Rv��FW&�V�B�bF�RG&�fRԖ���f�^(
n(
b�wwr�f��F����7F��W2�6�