by Lylia Caron
Today you just pick up the telephone and call wherever! Hard to believe that was not always so. When we moved out in the country in the late 40's we were one of the few families that had the luxury of having a telephone. It was one of those wooden ones with a long handle and it had to be cranked. An operator was on the line to assist you with your call. Her name was Mrs. Clark and she took your payment for the phone. Can't remember but it was something like under $2.00 for the month, and a long distance call to Michigan was 10 cents. A lot of money then.
We were blessed with many neighbours who would come to call and to use the phone. Dickie Clargo was our first neighbour to visit. He had never used a phone and would get me to call for him. The MacIntyre boys were also regular visitors as well as Gene Marcoux. Back then neighbours were neighbours. For miles around most people knew their neighbours, not like today when a lot of people hardly know their next door neighbours.
Mrs. Harris was a very close neighbour of ours. Mrs. MacIntyre became one of my treasured neighbours for years. She lived close by, raised a large family and always had a smile for everyone. We had many a long conversation. I am not quite sure just what year they had their own telephone.
I had never lived in the country before, nor milked a cow, fed pigs or horses, gathered eggs, hayed or planted & harvested crops. Boy did I learn fast.
Because I didn't drive a car by husband took me to town to run errands. Groceries were purchased for the month and we ordered most of out clothing and supplies out of the Eaton's catalogue as they delivered it to our door. One Christmas eve the Eaton's delivery man came after work with Santa's presents as he knew the Christmas tree would look very lonely without them especially with the sad faces of the children looking for them. Imagine how grateful I was that he took the time and cared enough to go out of his way to bring them. The bread man and the milk man also make home deliveries later. The Rawleigh and Walkins man made home visits plus the sales person for the Free Press were the main salespersons then. Not so much junk mail was received then either.
Few cars traveled on our road and sometimes
the children would make a game out of guessing the number of cars that would
pass in an hour. To visit a friend they would have to walk a mile or two a
3 mile walk to go to church. The tried lemonade stand but did not get much
business. We had a lot of visitors from the city who would enjoy the peace
and quiet of the country.