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Chuck Hinman, #105: High School Ring IT'S JUST ME AGAIN Chuck Hinman #105, High School Ring The next earlier Chuck Hinman story is Good Ol' Homemade Chicken and Noodles Reader comments to CM are appreciated, as are emails directly to Mr. Hinman at: charles.hinman@sbcglobal.net By Chuck Hinman High School Ring In the fall of 1938, we thirteen Liberty, Nebraska, high school Juniors were told to be prepared to meet with the class ring salesman to select and order our class rings. We were in the depths of the depression and "everything else bad" days. About the only dependable cash flow the Hinman family had was Mom's pact with her egg-laying hens. Mom was an expert in her relationship with her hens. If anyone could come up with a few unexpected bucks, it was Mom and her buddies in the chicken house. When I announced at the supper table that the highlight of my day was that I had placed an order for my class ring and that I would need $14.00 to pay for it when it arrived in the spring of 1939, the silence was deafening until what I had just said soaked in. "SAY THAT AGAIN CHUCK" my Dad said in an ear-shattering monotone. He then proceeded to deliver to me personally at close range (I ducked the spit from his loose-fitting false teeth) the state of the Hinman family finances. He didn't pause long enough for me to explain my idea where the 14 bucks was coning from. The truth is, I hadn't thought about it; the other 12 classmates were placing orders and it seemed the thing to do. Wrong! The last I remember of the table-talk that evening was that I would cancel the order the next day. I don't suppose I slept that night. As happened so many times in depression days money problems, Mom bought some time by putting her hands on her hips and saying "Well, let's see!" Those three words seemed to always work magic for the need involved. I proudly wore my red Class of 1939 Liberty, Nebraska, High School class ring until I lost it playing volleyball during a break in the action on the sandy soil of Guam, Marianas Islands during World War 2. This Nebraska "egg paid for" class ring is probably still lying where I lost it 62 years ago on that remote South Pacific island. I recently revisited that volleyball court in my memories, thankful that $14.00 class ring is still lying in the sand where it flew off my finger in 1945 and not attached to my body remains as some class rings are. I won't ever return to Guam except in my memories. I can almost hear the rowdy cheering of my 871st buddies -- most of whom are now gone but their memory lives on in their buddies. Written by Chuck Hinman, August 7, 2007 This story was posted on 2009-05-25 11:28:16
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Have comments or corrections for this story? Use our contact form and let us know. More articles from topic Chuck Hinman - Reminiscences:
Chuck Hinman: Good Ol' Homemade Chicken and Noodles Chuck Hinman: Life in Gage Co. NE, in 1930s Chuck Hinman. It's Just Me Again #004: All kinds of challenges Chuck Hinman. It's Just Me #311: Making Do CHUCK HINMAN: Time changes things Chuck Hinman: It's Just Me #003. Pills, pills, pills CHUCK HINMAN: I smell a mouse Chuck Hinman #089: Cutting wood in winter Chuck Hinman #009: Embarassed on an elevator Chuck Hinman # 120: It's Just Me Again: Time changes things View even more articles in topic Chuck Hinman - Reminiscences |
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