“Tommy, you’re going with me up town this morning. Stop your day-dreaming and get ready; we’ll miss the bus."
"OK Mom,” I said, "I'm all ready; I just have to put my coat on."
“Oh no you don’t,” she said, "you got upstairs and wash your face and hands; and comb your hair. And hurry; we have to catch the nine o’clock bus.“
I hurried up the stairs, gave my hands and face a slick and a promise, spit on my hands, rubbed my hair down flat, and faster than you can say “Jack Robinson,” I was put on my coat; well actually, it was my brother’s coat; the one he got when my other brother grew out of it.
It was cloudy, windy. and very cold. Mom made me put on my sister Dot’s ear muffs. They were this girly colored, fruity pink, and I told her was no sissy and I wasn't gonna wear no girls’ fruity ear muffs.
She said “all right big boy, you can just stay home.” I said OK, I‘ll wear ‘em. She should be ashamed of herself for tryin‘ to make a sissy out of me.
I pulled my “Ace” cap flaps over the ugly pink ear muffs, and we began the walk-up Sylvan Avenue to the bus stop at Bee Bee’s Tavern on Cedar and Olden.
The wind was against us all the way. and It was cold. I would never tell Mom, but I was glad I had those ear muffs on. By the time we reached the bus stop, I was just about frozen. My feet were like blocks of ice.
My agony was short-lived, as the big yellow “L-9” Liberty Street Trenton Transit bus rolled up to the grassy sidewalk. The bus was warm as toast. I watched in rapt attention as the driver, punched the button on a big panel, and “W-P" lit up on the panel. “WP” was a weekly pass. Then he got out of his seat and cranked a handle on the top of the windshield. The black and white sign changed from “LIBERTY ST." to “TERMINAL." It was so neat!
“Someday I’m gonna be a bus driver.” I thought to myself. The driver reached behind his seat and pulled out his copy of “LOOK” magazine, lit up a cigarette, and began to read.
How come he’s readin’ Mom," I asked, “ain’t we goin’ up town?"
“Keep your shirt on,” she answered, “he’s on a schedule and has to be at all of his stops at the right time; Bee Bee’s Tavern is the end of the line.”
The driver flicked his cigarette out the window, and put his magazine behind his seat, sat upright and revved up the big diesel engine, clutched into gear, and the big yellow giant rolled forward; we were on our way. We turned on to south Olden Avenue, and headed to Liberty, up Liberty to So. Broad and headed into downtown Trenton.
Passing “Sanders” ice cream, the RKO Broad, and the beautiful castle-like “J.b. Van Sciver” building. And then…State & Broad! The bus pulled up to the curb and came to a stop very close to the rear of another bus. State and Broad; Downtown Trenton! But alas dear reader, I have run out of space.
Be here next week when meet a sidewalk Santa, and head to Goldberg’s and their fabulous “Toyland.”
Born and raised in Hamilton, Tom Glover is past president of the Hamilton Township Historical Society and currently works at the Hamilton Township Public Library as local historian in the library’s Local History Collection. Visit Tom’s websites www.glover320.blogspot.comwhich has over 900,000 visits, also www.hhs51.blogspot.com. And www.kuser-school.blogspot.com and his Facebook pages for interesting links and many items of local history and nostalgia. Tom can be reached at tglover320@optimum.net.