The Side Room

I have much more and better memory after we moved about a half mile closer to the center of town - 127 Canandaigua St. The house had an enclosed front porch (still does, last I saw). When you enter the front door, straight ahead is the hallway to the dining room, to the left is the stairs to the 2nd floor. To the right is the living room. On the other side of the living room is a smallish longish room that served as the TV room. It also, at times, doubled as my parents' bedroom at night, which was quite frustrating to a kid who wanted to watch Saturday morning cartoons while the TV was being held hostage by slumbering parents.

Speaking of TVs, the one we had was tiny, well the screen was, anyway, and black & white with shades of grey. We didn't get a color TV until I was 10 or 11. I watched Captain Kangaroo on that little TV - Mr. Green Jeans, Mr Moose, Bunny Rabbit, the shower of ping pong balls - the whole nine yards. Also Romper Room, which was a kids playtime program hosted by a goddess named Miss Rita. I came quite close to meeting Miss Rita in person - she was at a party that my friend Jackie was attending. I ended up with an autograph glossy, which was OK, I guess.

Another notable thing concerning that room was an act of kindness initiated by my brother Roger. I was spanked for some misdeed and sent to park my sore fanny on the couch in the TV room. After sitting in misery for some time, Roger came in, set up the TV tray, and placed a bottle of Mountain Dew with a straw in front of me. Mountain Dew was a relatively new drink at the time and it was delicious, to say the least. On top of that, straws were a luxury for us in those days. So that, coupled with the kindness of Roger, made it a memorable event.