Vintage Things That Have Disappeared In Your Lifetime?

[ChiTownScion]

The example I always think of is my mother's late Gentleman Friend, a fellow who was probably the love of her life. He'd fought in WWII as a twenty-year-old boy, and while serving in the ETO he became involved in a one-on-one situation with a German soldier about his own age, and he shot and killed that soldier. He knew that's what happens in wars, and he knew why WWII was fought and why he was in it. But for the rest of his life he was tormented by the fact that he had killed somone's son -- and he recoiled at anything "military" as a result of that. And he didn't have an awful lot of use for preening civilians decking themselves out in "tactical gear" and cosplaying as "patriots" or "citizen soldiers" in that way that's become distressingly common over the last couple of decades.

Knew so many like that. Not just WWII vets, but Nam vets just a few years older than myself. Learned much from them.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Being stable, holding down a boring but necessary job, being a faithful husband, paying taxes, being an involved parent, not drinking too much, driving a sensible car, obeying the law, and keeping out of debt is hardly the stuff that young men dream of. I think society needs to redefine what knighthood is (hint: it is not about swords and combat.)

 

[tonyb]

^^^^^
I have little objection to a fellow jumping from job to job and residence to residence and keeping a couple-three or four girlfriends at any given time and drinking to the point of intoxication most days and driving a car he can scarcely afford while piling up mountains of debt PROVIDED he drags down only himself. And that would be a rare fellow indeed.

I have little respect for a person who has so little respect for others that his lifestyle amounts to one big deception. Do those multiple paramours know of the others? (Most don’t, would be my guess.) Does he inform would-be employers or business partners that he likely won’t be around in a couple years? (Doubtful, that.) Does he drive that fancy car while intoxicated? (Probably.) Does trying to stay on top of his debt service come at the cost of new school clothes for his unfortunate offspring? (Might well be.)

It’s only decent to let people know what they’re signing up for. Some people enjoy the wild times so much that they willingly pay the price of keeping company with such a character. There are good-time gals, too. But most don’t.

 

[LizzieMaine]

My father was one of these happy-go-lucky type characters who'd rather loaf in the pool room yukking it up with his buddies than hold a job. Which was fine for him, but it wasn't too hot for my mother and sister and me. The only people who are entitled to be irresponsible are those who have no other responsibilities.

 

[Tiki Tom]

My point was, of course, that the true heroes are those who behave responsibly and dependably in obscurity. Generally unsung and, often, taken for granted.

 

[tonyb]

^^^^
As to obscurity v. celebrity, virtue v. recognition ...

A few weeks back I watched a PBS program featuring Maurice Hines, who told of encountering Sammy Davis Jr. along with his since-deceased brother Gregory when they were young.

Sammy told them that there were young men up on 125th Street who could do everything they do every bit as well and maybe even better but you’ve never heard of them and probably never will. And that’s because you got a break and they didn’t.

So never take your good fortune nor your audience for granted, for without one you don’t have the other.

 

[tonyb]

My father was one of these happy-go-lucky type characters who'd rather loaf in the pool room yukking it up with his buddies than hold a job. Which was fine for him, but it wasn't too hot for my mother and sister and me. The only people who are entitled to be irresponsible are those who have no other responsibilities.

Oh yeah. I’m not here to tell a guy he shouldn’t carouse. I did a lot of it myself, until I assumed responsibilities that didn’t allow for it.

My dad (but not my biological father; he died when I was four months old) was undoubtedly an alcohol addict, but that wasn’t his weakness so much as a symptom of it.

His fundamental insecurity had him always seeking approval. He lived to show people a good time, at which he often succeeded. But in so doing he often spent money he didn’t really have. He often took entirely well-intentioned advice as insults. (“Who the hell is that guy to tell me what to do?”) He was pathologically incapable of declining a woman’s advances. (He fathered two children [of which I am aware; there could be more] by other women while married to my mother.) He fancied himself an entrepreneur, and, credit where it is due, he was good at getting a business up and running. His forceful personality and generally gregarious disposition had people believing in him (see “approval seeking,” above), and, credit where it is due, he didn’t want for gumption. But he was grandiose. A modest commercial success just wasn’t enough. He wanted to be the bigshot (see “approval seeking,” above). Bigger was inherently better, in his book. Bankruptcies, entirely predictable ones, ensued.

Some of that rubbed off on my me. Much more of it rubbed off on my surviving brother.

I like my material comforts. I like recognition. Just about everybody does. But the older I get the less I measure my success by other peoples’ criteria. Everything isn’t a contest.

 

[Harp]

Being stable, holding down a boring but necessary job, being a faithful husband, paying taxes, being an involved parent, not drinking too much, driving a sensible car, obeying the law, and keeping out of debt is hardly the stuff that young men dream of.

Red meat, hard liquor, and soft beautiful women. No X,L,U, or Vees for me, no patrols, no Mr Charles.
My teenage wants and needs and dreams have stayed remarkably the same over time,
with some notable attrition past not present.

But I understand your admirable point and wholeheartedly agree.

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

Those little pointy rubber gum massagers they used to put on the end of toothbrush handles. I don't remember when I last saw one. Were they deemed too unsanitary?

 

[tonyb]

At the Post Office today, a work station, a counter where the patrons box up their shipments and address envelopes and whatnot.

Even young(ish) people recall when the local telephone directories were the go-to references for street addresses as well as telephone numbers. So of course you’d find them at the work station in the Post Office. Now you find only where they used to be.

 

[Trenchfriend]

What happened to good old Caviar-eggs on any kinds of party? Anyone seen them in the last 15 years??

 

[LostInTyme]

Way back when you started this you first mentioned those kerosene pots. We called them smudge pots. Yes, they were pretty universally used back in the mid twentieth century. I think they were discontinued when it was determined that they could be used for Molotov Cocktails.

Anyway, I miss the cars of the forties and fifties, even though todays automobiles are safer and much better, those old cars had style and class.

 

[LostInTyme]

What happened to good old Caviar-eggs on any kinds of party? Anyone seen them in the last 15 years??

Every year, at our family Christmas dinner, we serve something our children and grandchildren have never experienced. Two years ago, it was caviar eggs. Last year it was cow tongue.

 

[BobHufford]

The teaching of Latin in the local high schools.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Lex Barker??

Is a boat law.

 

[Turnip]

Mechanical desktop and pocket calculators ~1930s.

 

[Zombie_61]

The teaching of Latin in the local high schools.

Latin? Hell, the only reason the schools I attended were willing to teach us Spanish, German, or French was because we needed two years of a specific language to get into college.

 

[LostInTyme]

My first wife..........(no picture)

 

[1967Cougar390]

Library card catalogs. I remember growing up pulling the drawers one by one trying to find where a book was located.

Have a safe and blessed day.
Steven

 

[The one from the North]

My father passed away recently. Clearing his apartment I found multiple slide rulers and Rotring brand technical pens. Got me thinking that up to 80's blueprints were really hand drawn and a slide rule was a professionals tool. My kids had no idea what a slide rule is when shown