 
Tponetom
Member
Username: Tponetom
Post Number: 208
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 - 9:54 pm: |    |
How Babies Were Born.
March 31, 1936. I was seven and half years old. It was near supper time. Ma was in bed. Dad was sitting in the living room. There was a knock on the front door. Dad opened it and ushered in Dr. Vogt, our family Doctor.
I was lying on the living room floor waiting for my radio programs to begin. Jack Armstrong, the All American Boy, with his cousin, Jimmy and his Uncle Jack. Or maybe it was Skippy or Tom Mix and his Ralston Straight Shooters. Whatever! That was heady entertainment in 1936.
Dr. Vogt exchanged pleasantries with Dad and then he went into the bedroom, I guess, to say hello to my mother. He came back out and sat down with Dad and they talked. About what? I don’t know. They talked for quite a while and then Dr. Vogt got up and went back into the bedroom. He then called Dad into the bedroom. I was absorbed with the drama that was going on with my programs.
Later, Dr. Vogt left and some of our Aunts and Uncles came to visit. They stayed for awhile and then left. I went to bed and was disturbed by some strange wailing. Later, I discovered it was my new sister, Theresa, Terry for short.
Fast Forward to November 16, 1937. My birthday was November 13. When relatives came to visit, I thought it was for my celebration. I might get a nickel from one of my uncles. Dr. Vogt also came to the house to visit. My mother was in the bedroom and Dr. Vogt went through the niceties as he did a year and a half ago. He sat and talked with Dad and checked in on Ma once in a while. I wondered why Ma did not come out of the bedroom. Then Dr. Vogt went in again and stayed for quite a time, but he finally came out, shook hands with everybody and left.
New brother, Tim, began to harmonize with sister Terry.
Fast Forward to New Year’s Eve, 1939. The house was filled. There was a knock on the front door. Betcha can’t guess who was coming? You win, Dr. Vogt, again. Yes. Same old, same old. Terry and Tim became a trio with new born Kathleen. What a way to start a New Year.
My father’s Irish genes out maneuvered my mothers German pragmatism and our siblings of three multiplied by two.
The truth of the matter is this. I did resent the intrusion of these new invaders who would usurp my pleasant and happy position as the family baby. Like my two elder sisters, I became an ‘also ran.’
A few notes about Doctors in those bad old days. Most Doctors had an office, consisting of two or maybe, rarely, three rooms on the second floor of a building that had a Drugstore on the first floor. Ordinary office calls would cost two dollars. I have no recollection of the cost of house calls. Maybe that was why my father and mother called it quits after Kathy was born.
In the immortal words of Butterfly McQueen, "I didn' know nothin' bout birthin'
I did not have a clue as to what was going on in my mothers bedroom, either before or after.
(Two months ago I had accessed the Detroit News Obituary page. By accident I ran across the obituary of Dr. William G. Fenner, age, 89.)
Now, let’s fast forward to the early 1950's. Peggy and I were married in 1949, and old Dr. Fenner was our family Doctor after Dr. Vogt died. Well, Dr. Fenner retired and his son, Bill, became our doctor. He was ten years older than me. He was a pleasant man with an etched smile that never left his face. In taking care of the pre and post natal care, he delivered our two children in fine health. He charged us One Hundred dollars for each child for all the office calls and delivery. One Price fits all, everything! He was our Doctor for 35 years. He had an incredible memory. ( like me.) When ever we went to see him for whatever ailment we had, he would greet us in his examining room and immediately pick up the conversation we had six months or a year ago. One time I was telling him about a game of golf I had played a week or so ago. It was the 18th hole and all of the marbles were up for grabs.
Before I could finish my story, a patient came into the office in dire straits. Dr. Bill had finished with us and he had to excuse, in a hurry, to take care of the new patient. About a year later we engaged him again for some small matter or other. As we walked into his examining room, he smiled at me and said, “So what did you do on that 18th hole?’
They just don’t make them like that anymore..
We have a good doctor here in Tucson but I never know if I have a 12 or 15 or 18 or 21 minute appointment with him. When he starts to walk near the exit door I chide him by telling him I am not through with him, just to yank his chain a little. |
Eriedearie
Member
Username: Eriedearie
Post Number: 701
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 6:02 am: | |
Love your story. Started my day off with a  ! Thanks |
Fury13
Member
Username: Fury13
Post Number: 3700
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 10:41 am: | |
Tponetom, your stories are pure gold. Thanks again. |
Sharmaal
Member
Username: Sharmaal
Post Number: 1275
Registered: 09-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 11:19 am: | |
Tponetom - Some very interesting posts. Have you ever thought of starting you own blog? You'd already have a few interesting entries. |
Tponetom
Member
Username: Tponetom
Post Number: 209
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 9:50 pm: | |
Sharmaal, Fury13, et al.
Again, thank you for your kind thoughts.
Actually, I did start a blog about a year ago but I did not have any incentive to feed it, like in feeding one's ego. It did not intrigue me.
Shortly after that I discovered the Detroit Forum. My first reaction was, "Eureka, what a great format."
I had been aware of “The Fabulous Ruins of Detroit” for a number of years but I was not aware of the Forum.
I sensed a wonderful opportunity to share, with others, all of my old memories and future plans for a bigger and better Detroit.
I did not realize that I would be the dinosaur (age 79) in a modern world of current events. Thank goodness for ‘Ray1936.’ He is one year older than my younger brother and I feel a kindred spirit in his presence. Fury 13 (Cooper St.) and his ancestors go back to within block and a half of my old homestead on McClellan Ave. Be that as it is. It helps me have hope for the future of Detroit via the old world.
I found myself writing about things that had little or no relevance in today’s world. They seemed to be of a foreign nature in today’s society.
Happy days, good days, memorable days in Detroit. Those are my major themes. That is what I remember of the years that reach up to 1987.
I have to inject a major digression at this point:
Success comes in many shapes and sizes for all of us. Financial Success! Political Success! Societal Success! Cultural Success! And goodness knows how many more “successes”
there are.
I am, with little doubt, the most successful human being you will ever encounter in your life span.
Don Cherry was an extremely good amateur golfer. He was also a “crooner” of the 1950's. He made a recording of the song, “Band of Gold .”
The lyrics in the first verse spelled out my life:
I never wanted wealth untold.
For fame is not my line.
A simple little band of gold,
To prove that your are mine.
So I married Peggy, in 1949, and you just don’t get any better than that.
Life can be so simple, if only we let it be. |
Barnesfoto
Member
Username: Barnesfoto
Post Number: 4696
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2008 - 2:22 am: | |
"I found myself writing about things that had little or no relevance in today’s world".
But once again, due to the clarity of your writing, when we read these things, we are there in the room with you. Who cares about "relevance"? I always wanted to travel in time...
Thanks for another trip in the time machine.
Keep the stories coming. |
Ravine
Member
Username: Ravine
Post Number: 1891
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, February 02, 2008 - 8:50 pm: | |
In this forum, we have several members who are gifted in the art of story-telling, but none are anywhere near the equal of Tponetom.
Tponetom, those of us who have come to look forward to your looking backward will never be able to adequately express our appreciation and gratitude for the blessing you give us simply by sharing your memories. |
Eriedearie
Member
Username: Eriedearie
Post Number: 731
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, February 03, 2008 - 7:01 am: | |
I echo Ravine. |
Ray1936
Member
Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 2657
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, February 03, 2008 - 12:29 pm: | |
I don't know if it's particularly healthy, but as sunset gets nearer I find myself delighted in remembering the past. Not just MY past, but all of history. On the other hand, I'm just not all that positive on what the future holds, so maybe it's best to let my mind wander on what has been. |
Ravine
Member
Username: Ravine
Post Number: 1892
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, February 03, 2008 - 1:03 pm: | |
Ray, let's just say that if you enjoyed reading a book, you may not be up for re-reading the whole thing, cover to cover, but you may occasionally want to enjoy the pleasant distraction of flipping through it and reading certain passages again.
I think it's "cute, but dumb" when people say that one should always look to the future.
I can't look inside the room if the door isn't open yet. |
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