By Kevin Williams
Okay, it is throwback Thursday, so time to indulge in a little walk down memory lane. Who remembers this stuff besides me?
MR. BUBBLES – We have some organic, sensitive skin, bubble bath soap that we let Aster use during baths. But as a kid I just used mass produced stuff called “Mr. Bubbles “ and loved it. Is it still around?
AS THE WORLD TURNS: Man, my grandmother would watch this show religiously. Grandma made time for my brother and I anytime we wanted or needed her. Except for 2 p.m. on weekdays. That was when “her story” came on and we just understood that that was “her time.” She’d sit in her easy chair, which seemed to swallow her up, and all her hard work, worries, troubles, or stresses would seem to float away as she became engrossed in the turning world. I never really watched the show, just impatiently waited for that hour to crawl by. I think there was one plot line that sort of drew me in when I was 12 or 13 and I watched it religiously for about 2 weeks before losing interest. When I was older and could drive, I knew never to stop by during that hour.
CIGARETTES: I have bought cigarettes one time in my life and that was under protest. My aunt wanted me to get some for her when I was running out to gas station shortly after I got my driver license. I’ve never been a fan of cigarettes and I didn’t want to buy them, but I think I balanced that out between not wanting to be disrespectful to aunt. My grandma smoked on the sly and I never liked it when she did. I’m not bashing smokers, I loved my grandma and she smoked. I just don’t like cigarettes and their smell. Remember smoking on airlines? Ugh, it was like flying in a smoke –filled cylinder. And my high school – this is what is mind-boggling to me – actually had a smoking section (It was called “The Pit” and it was right outside the cafeteria) for students. And, geez, up until the early 2000s there were still “smoking sections” in most restaurants. All of that is basically gone and I don’t miss it.
SMOKELESS ASHTRAYS: I remember always seeing these in catalogues and wanting to get one for my Grandma and Uncle Pat (who smoked until lung cancer finally took him last year), did they actually work?
CAPTION: George Burns in, Oh God, actually that movie was 1977. Geez.
OH GOD – GEORGE BURNS: I think George Burns did commercials for the smokeless ashtrays which got me thinking of his movies. Does anyone remember the “Oh God” movies he did in the early 80s? Corny, but I loved those movies. I might have to find a way to watch one soon.
GOLD CIRCLE: This is probably a regional thing, but this was a department store that my parents loved going to and I dreaded. It was just boring. Haven't seen one of these in a long time, they've been closed for at least 25 years, I think.
TAB: My Mom used to drink this back in the day. It’s slogan trumpeted its status as a delicious soft drink with only 1 calorie. Do they still sell the stuff anywhere?
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