Pockets Of Sunshine And SHINING Moments

Today, it is raining and as they use to say when I was a kid-raining cats and dogs. I have had two dogs in our married lifetime and my two Pekingese were not raining. Expressions can be meaningful, hateful and some thoughtful. There is a song called pocketful of sunshine. That is a sweet expression. If we could fill our pockets, if we happen to have them on our clothing, would we want both to be filled with sunshine or one of them? When I was a kid in the 1940’s, we did not have television which had not been really invented for the general public yet. We did listen to the portable radios we all had and from them we got the daily news, the weather reports and many stories like we see on television now. I use to watch (hear in my ears) movies that were broadcast of course, without the pictures, we heard dialogue only. You had to imagine what the actors reading the words looked like and what they were doing. There were sound effects such as a door slamming, a car horn honking, a person eating dinner (the sounds of the silverware or dinnerware clinking.) On Monday nights, they had a show on the radio called Lux Radio Theatre. It was sponsored by Lux soap and recreated popular movies from perhaps a year or two ago and you heard the words and in your mind, you could really ‘see’ what was happening. You were able to delight in the story line and get involved in the scenes, because they appeared in your eyes as if you were seeing it directly in the movie theatre. This is what we knew and until television came into our homes, when we could afford the cost of a set which in the beginning was about twelve inches wide, this was it. Mom and Dad bought a floor model one in about 1949 and we all felt very rich in owning such a piece of furniture with a ‘movie’ screen attached to it We all, four of us huddled around it, proud to have it, and delighted to watch it. There were only three stations and no remote control to change them. If you wanted the channel changed, you got up out of your seat and did it. In the evenings, there were many comedy shows. One was called Life With Luigi and my dad use to laugh so hard at the comedic lines, that sometimes the tears would come down his cheeks. He loved that show which was about an immigrant from Italy and how difficult it was for him to understand English and to survive in a ‘foreign’ country-here in the USA. Then there was I Love Lucy starring Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz playing a married couple. She got into lots of trouble with her silly antics and everyone stopped what they were doing to watch this new and cute show about eight or nine p.m. every Monday night. I was working then and made sure I got on the bus to be home in time to have dinner and watch this silly show. The next morning, everyone at work all over the town discussed Lucy’s dilemmas and how much they had enjoyed and laughed at them. When in real life, she and Desi were expecting their first child, after having tried for a while, they were not allowed by the censors to use the word pregnant. They referred to it, as she is with child. Times have changed so much since then. Then we loved a show called The Millionaire where a rich man gave a million dollars anonymously to a deserving family, couple or single person. They were shocked to receive it; but deserved it because he had chosen them when he heard of their needs. That was a thrilling storyline. I do not think it was true, just a story, but sweet for sure. There were detective shows and criminal acts on some of them, but not as graphic as now days. I was going out with a young man who was a photographer and he took me one Sunday evening to a TV station here, one of the three local ones. We watched live as the sports announcer gave the results of the week’s winnings and losing’s and I was fascinated by seeing how a live show was produced and that was in about 1955. The sports announcer’s name was Nick Campofreda and he was very cordial to a young girl visitor, because they did not have an audience in those days there. Once Mom and I went to watch a local show that was only on the radio and they allowed an audience there and people listening on the radio heard the claps and roars from the audience. That was fun too and we felt so enriched to see a live radio show, which was heard only. My brother who was very smart got chosen to be on a teen quiz show and the winning teen received a twenty-five dollar United States savings bond, which was a big deal win for a kid in those days. We all listened on the radio that night and never heard him vocalize one answer. We thought perhaps he had not gotten there to the studio, because he had to travel on two buses to get there. When he came home, Dad said well what happened and he replied he knew all the answers to the academic questions; he froze up and could not answer. That was unusual, because he always had an answer and loud too for everything and he was extremely smart and intelligent. It was an interesting experience, but he wanted that bond so badl I was on a live television show in about 1950 on a home like show similar to the Rachel Ray show that is on now. I was sent to model some teen clothing on this new live and local show called Sylvia Scott. Sylvia was the hostess; moderator and she did cooking like Rachel does now and then threw in other home stories. Elita and the other girl who modeled with me showed off some summer clothing, each of us wearing about two outfits in the one hour time frame. We came from a well-known and popular department store called Stewarts and we were sent to Sylvia and that sure was fun for a sixteen year old-me. So the olden days of the late 1940’s and early 50’s had some fun times and some cute, sweet and amusing shows. Of course, Sylvia Scott was one of my favorites since I had appeared on it as a model and Nick’s sport’s show was also a favorite since I got to see how things were accomplished on a live television show. I guess in a sense, you could say these were reality shows, different than ones we see now in 2012. There was a live dancing teen show called Buddy Deane here in Baltimore where teens partnered up and danced live there. There were no celebrities or stars with dance teachers, just nice kids dancing and having fun and the viewers enjoyed that. I was not into dancing then, but have made up for that, because we dance now and have been since 1977 and I have enjoyed receiving 58 trophies, medals and certificates for my ballroom dancing competition days. I am sure all of you reading this can look back into those former days, even if not as far back as I have related and we can kvell (be proud of) over things that seemed so important to us and our friends back then. We can be proud of small happenings, large happenings and everyday happenings and the song that is called Pocketful Of Sunshine can be that motto. We sure did receive a pocketful of real sweet sunshine in those days before television, and then the event of television and it is still a real lot of warmth in our souls and hearts. Good warmth, happy remembrances and sweet moments that still reside in our minds and hearts. We as a family were not wealthy or even close to wealth; but we had us as a family and as I look back, I had many exciting times. Modeling for Sylvia Scott, seeing the live and new thing called television in person, me producing and modeling in a fashion show at Hecht’s department store in 1950, being a pretty good daughter to my folks, a nice sister to my brother Herbert, a smart student in school and having some dear childhood neighborhood friends. It all sounds simple in today’s exciting days of all the new things young persons have and own today. If one walks into Best Buys or that type store, the electronics are overwhelming. We kids then appreciated every item we attained or earned and the majority of us were quite appreciative of what our parents gave and did for us. We worked part time in small stores or in my case at Stewarts Department store on Saturdays and the only nights they were opened which were some Mondays and every Thursday night. I would leave school about 2.15 and go home for a snack and then get on the bus to go downtown where my job was. I checked in about 430 and had a supper break around 7 where I would go up to the store cafeteria and purchase for the grand sum of about one dollar, my evening meal which was sold to us for a lesser price then to the public. Then I would work to 9 and take the bus home and Mom was waiting for me about 940 or so to have me walk safely home with her by my side, for the two to three blocks to our home. Our wealth was in our feeling of security, love,education, a few television shows and anything on the side, we were able to accomplish on our own like earning a few dollars at work. In my case, producing and modeling in a show and being on this wondrous new invention called television, which in our young minds and even in the adult’s minds; was like having a movie theatre right in your own home. Wow, what an invention. So we had our pocketful of sunshine and life was bright. elita sohmer clayman