COMMERCIAL GRADE REFRIGERATOR

We had special relationships with neighbors like Ethel and Morris. Ethel and Morris were a young couple who lived upstairs in our building on Home Street. They had no children and Ethel was ga ga over me. Her husband, Morris, had just been drafted and she needed a second family. The fit was perfect. She would care for me all the time so my mother could go shopping, visit friends, and take care of the house. Ethel would dress me, bathe me, and hold me close in her bed. One day she made the terrible error of taking me to a movie. The name of the movie was The Mummy. It was the first movie I had ever been to. When we came into the dark theater, I thought the theatre was moving. After she assured me it was not, we began seeing the mummy, who had been lying still, begin to rise. I let out a scream, and with supernatural animal strength climbed over everyone in our row, screaming shrieks of death as I then ran up the aisle and on to the street and toward our house, which was many blocks from the theatre. I knew exactly where Home Street was and where I was headed. Well, poor Ethel finally caught up with me and made it all go away somehow – mostly by telling me it was not real and that to look around and notice that there was no mummies here. It was just in that theater. I cannot say that I never again went to another movie, but some time did pass before the second movie experience.

Some while later, Morris returned from the Army with a missing leg. He was so quiet and I was ridiculous. I just could not understand what happened to his leg. He was so kind to me and really appreciated my stupid questions, which seemed to reflect his own heart. He, too, could not understand what happened. In any case, our friendships continued until they moved away. They needed to change to go back to their parents. I always will love and miss them both.


During this time, the local county board of the Office of Price Administration issued every man, woman and child a ration book during the war. The book held stamps, which Americans used to buy rationed foods. Government officials rationed some food because of limited supply. So much food needed to be set aside for military use that the government restricted civilian purchases. County boards rationed sugar, coffee, meat, butter, margarine, cheese, canned milk, canned fish, canned fruits and vegetables, soups and fruit juices.

Shortages of rubber led to the rationing of tires and gasoline. The government also prohibited the making of many household appliances because of a lack of metals. We could not buy hot water heaters, refrigerators, stoves, lawn mowers, vacuums, irons, radios and toasters. The government needed rubber and metals to make airplanes, trucks, tanks, ships and rifles. We had to ration food and materials to help win the war.

American responses to rationing varied from cheerful compliance to resigned grumbling to instances of black market subversion and profiteering. We were cajoled into giving over to the government all our spare tires except one, many going along with this gambit. These were almost never used, but accumulated in mountainous piles all over the country and spent the war rotting in these junk yards instead of helping to "win the war."
The kindergarten I attended was at a house near Home Street run by volunteer ladies and containing various rooms where I learned to identify and arrange blocks. Finally, my mother was asked not to bring me anymore because I was building very large structures which eventually toppled and could (but did not) hurt the other children. They said I was too advanced and individualistic. This did not make my mom happy and she complained. It was a shame because it was one of those things that gave my mom a sense of normalcy and contact with other nice women. I knew she was very disappointed and irate about their rejection. She, indeed, took it personally and was insulted. How dare they! I am sure this added to her already well-formed disdain of society and its wiles. My brother was not yet born and the war was on; everything worked off of ration stamps and long lines. The kindergarten building was red brick and had a backyard.

Ok- so I am not a pure-est when it comes to my ribs, but they do get pretty good reviews-

-Rub from Food Network
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
Mixed with large dash of Famous Dave's Rib Rub
Let stand in refrigerator for 24 hours

Marinade
Cream soda or root beer
Liquid Smoke
BBQ Sauce (Spicier the better)
Let stand in refrigerator for an other 24 Hours

Crock Pot
Root Beer (1LTR)
Liquid Smoke (Dash)
Cayenne Pepper (Large Dash)
Chili Powder (Large Dash)
Paprika (Dash)
Cumin (Dash)
Crushed Red Pepper (Large Dash)
Bay Leaf x 2
BBQ Sauce (to cover)
(Cook 4.5 - 5 Hours)

BBQ
Famous Dave's Devil's Spit
Cook until caramelized