When you say "The Shop" around our house, you are referring to the place down by the recycling center where Dad has saws, tools, discards, materials, and paint stored. And the adjoining room where you will find the camping equipment, old toys, old suitcases, a number of fans, file cabinets, and Noah's repertoire of musical instruments stored.
But in the Clayton household, when you said "The Shop" you were definitely referring to the machine shop on Haskell Avenue in Van Nuys. I recall the years when Dad worked at Radioplane, came home for dinner, and then headed to his shop to work there at night. This went on for a few years until Dad felt he could support his family on "The Shop" earnings alone.
"The Shop" was a place where sometimes you were in the car with Mom and she had to make a delivery for Dad, so we stopped by to pick it up. And if you were lucky, you got to get out of the car and take a drink from the water cooler - why was that water so desirable? Was it the pointy paper cup?
And if you were really lucky, he shared his refrigerated Snicker bars with you! At Christmas time, no one got near The Shop, because Santa stored presents there. Harry remembers being at the Clayton home for Christmas one year and going with Dad on Christmas Eve to pick up the goods at "The Shop."
One year I had a job near Dad's shop - he took me to work, picked me up after work - and I worked at the shop until it was time for him to leave. I mostly filed stuff. Or even answered the occasional phone call. Or I read a book. Or I finagled a Snicker bar!!
There was a "job" at "The Shop." It was called "Cleaning the Pots." I always wanted to do it because it was good money. But only the boys got to do it. I don't think they were that excited - judging by the number of times Dad had to say, "You need to get down there and clean the pots."
The top photos are from 1969. That photo of Lyn is before 1969, but I think it's after his mission. I could be wrong though.
I don't know the date of the black and white photo - but that is the car that I drove when I was in high school - not to school, but when I got to use a car, that was the one. I ran it into a brick wall at Bates' Market once - didn't hurt the car - messed up the wall though.
I wasn't there when life at The Shop ended, but I know my Dad was sad to dismantle everything and realize that no one was going to carry on the business. I don't think I will ever forget "The Shop" though!
3 comments:
You have described "the shop" very well but another thing that I remember is the donuts that were always there. The donut man came by everyday and Dad would always buy some donuts and then when we came by, if we were lucky, we got one of the ones left over from the morning. I have a lot of memories of the shop as well.
Ah, yes, the donuts. I wonder if it was the Helms Man who came?? I loved the Helms Man!
no I remember the candy bars in the ice box and how he would pull it out and just cut off one piece and then put the rest back always amazed me i would have to eat the whole bar in one sitting and the jars of milk with wax paper. the roach coach there are a lot of memories from that place. It was the best!
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