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By Jeanie ( Hurley ) Smith

Buying Groceries

Editor ’ s note- This article is one of Jeanie ’ s favorites that she wants to share with you again . January 1996 -I wonder how long it will take me to get the right year written -on my checks and other paperwork ?? A new year always makes me feel like I have a chance for a new beginning . I always have high hopes of doing things better , getting organized , being a better person . Oh , I have great intentions , but for some reason , these things never happen . I guess as long as I have life , I can always hope .

Our community of Bright ( notice I didn ’ t say little ) underwent a lot of changes in 1995 , and I ’ m sure 1996 will bring a lot more . But Bright has been going through changes for as long as I can remember . It ’ s just that they took longer and weren ’ t quite so noticeable .

It was exciting to see our new “ super market ” going up and opening before the year was over . Maybe the day will come when we don ’ t have to go down a hill to get the things we need .

“ Going grocering ” is a lot different than it used to be . We always made a list , and then you went up to the counter and told the “ clerk ” what you need ,

and they got it for you . Can you imagine how long the line would be if we had to do that now ? It would be a disaster --not to mention impossible .

One convenience we had when I was growing up that is now a thing of the past was our “ Rolling Stores ” or “ Store to Your Door .” My Daddy drove a “ Huckster Wagon ” before I was old enough to remember , and it was a truck-like wagon pulled by a team of horses or mules . He worked for Bill Kaiser , and he took cream and milk , eggs and butter , fresh garden vegetables and it ’ s hard to tell what else to people on his “ route .” All I know is he would never eat butter because he said people would give him butter to sell that had got old and rancid and the smell made him sick to think about . So , even though Mother churned fresh butter about every other day , he still wouldn ’ t touch the stuff .

The “ Rolling Stores ” that I remember , though , weren ’ t pulled by horses . They were real trucks , fully equipped to carry any number of wonderful things to your house . In the 1930 ’ s , Russell Smith drove one , and after him , Harold Dorst . I don ’ t know which one drove the longest -I never got to interview Harold , but they both drove for a long time . Both of these “ young men ,” now in their 80 ’ s , still live in Bright and have for most of their lives .

Russell started out as an independent driver then went to driving for storekeepers like Hubert Perkins , Renck ’ s and Whitewater Market . Harold had his own store behind his house and was always his own “ boss .” He bought his from Gene Grubbs

-Whitewater Market in Harrison in 1937 .

As a child , I couldn ’ t wait for the day they came down our road . I would sit on the steps of our old porch and anxiously wait for their arrival . It was the most wonderful day you could imagine . The anticipation of seeing that truck come down the road was almost more than I could bear . Russell usually had his kids , Mary Frances ( Westrich ) or Dale , and Harold often had one of his boys , Jerry or Robert , along with him . Just seeing another kid was exciting . Mary said she loved going with her Dad because some lady on their route always gave them big sugar cookies with a raisin or a nut in the center .

We didn ’ t buy many groceries back then . We had most everything we needed , but you always needed flour , sugar , yeast , and things of that nature . Once in a great while , Mother would buy us some baloney , which was really something special and without fail , I would get a piece of candy or gum , which Mother cautioned me over and over to not dare swallow because she said some little girl in Bright died from swallowing chewing gum . That was enough to take the joy out of that if it was going to go down my throat by accident . So , I preferred candy which was safer and only cost a penny .

Those two men kept their rolling stores spotlessly clean . There was no rancid butter on their trucks , although many times they did take eggs or chickens or things like that in exchange for what you bought if you couldn ’ t pay . Russell said if he had an excess of those sorts of things , he would

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take them into Cincinnati to the Commission House , that was a really long trip back then .

They also allowed people to “ run a bill ” which they paid once a month or after they had sold a crop or a cow or pig .

We never went to Bright unless it was really necessary -now I sometimes go 2 or 3 times a day -run to the store -go to the bank -always something I forgot to do . At some of the larger grocery stores now you can run a bill and pay once a month . You just run that little plastic card through a slot and at the end of the month ; your bill comes in the mail . It says “ Visa ” or “ Mastercard ” or whatever . But , if you don ’ t have the money to pay , they won ’ t take chickens or butter . Nothing but cold , hard cash plus your “ carrying charge .”

These men did a great service for our rural community and brought a lot of joy to many of us . It was also nice for those who were shut in and had no way to get to the store . I understand that Harold and Anna now have groceries delivered to them by Bakers . That is so nice . They always say “ what goes around comes around ” or “ do unto others as you would have others do unto you .” So , thank you , Sonny Baker .

I ask God ’ s blessings on each of you in 1996 . May it be a grand and glorious year for you all . Happy New Year !

P . S . I have been asked if all my stories are true or if I make some of them up . I promise you - they are as true as I can remember . And if it gets to the point that I have to make things up , I ’ ll quit writing . Thank you .

By Thelma Stutz

OLD FRIENDS AND BRIGHT BEGINNING ’ S will not be meeting for lunch during January and February 2018 due to the unpredictable weather conditions .

However , we will be returning to our regular monthly schedule on March 1 , 2018 .

Our thanks to The 275 Brass Quintet for their excellent performance at our December luncheon . Their music was

beautiful and we also really enjoyed the humorous church bulletin notices . Also , thanks to Shelly Batch for leading her timely devotions and to Pat Brichler for the delicious food .

Another big thank you goes to all those who brought food items for the North Dearborn Pantry . Your donations amounted to 139 pounds of food plus some cash . Many people will be grateful for your generosity .