| I'z waitin on a Noble J. Dick at St. Clair 'n Miller up from the State Show. Me 'n my Mom was goin dawtawn Mckeesport for a pair of Tom McCans an some other stuff at the Famous 'n Cox's.
We coulda went to Ilkuvitz's or Skapiks, but Mom had a new Golden Rule charge card she wanted to use. And if I was good I'd get a chocolate milk shake at the drug store. Now it ain't like we never shopped in Clairton. We got groceries at Gholdstrom's or Marracini's or the A&P, our new TV at Monito's and lot's of fun stuff at Western Auto or Clairton Hardware. Pumpernickle rye at Grisnik's and Thrift Drug for perscriptions. On weekends might go to the Capital, Colonial, or State theaters. And Murphy's 5&10 was a place to talk to Mrs. Lancaster. Fridat's Yunz coulda' bought some candy at Pastore's store before the parade and game, and go to the Canteen at the Presbyterian church after the game (that we's usually win) You'd walk carefully when it is "slippy" outside. You'd often go down to the "crick." You've had to "redd up" your room. You can remember telling your little brother/sister to stop being so "nebby". You've gotten hurt by falling into a "jaggerbush". Your mother or grandmother has been seen wearing a "babushka" on her head. You've "warshed" the clothes. You know that a "poke" is something you bring home from the store and is not a punch in the face. You remember what a "Kubby Hole" is? I ask you to hand me one of those "Gum-Bands" you actually know what I'm talking about. You know you can't drive too fast on 885 or Ridge road, because of the deer. You remember names like the Terrace, Bedbug Row, Wilson Newtown, Hunkeytown, Blair Heighs, and Sylvania Heights as "parts" of town. A girl walks up to three of her girl friends and says, HEY YUNZ GUYS". You hear you guyses", and don't think twice. (Example..."you guyses house is nice") You know the three rivers by name and understand what the WPIAL is. You drink pop, eat submarines, love perogies and one of your favorite sandwiches actually has french fries and gravy ON it. You ate after Midnight at the Blue Bird or the Blue Flame on 51. You know what a "still mill" is. You expect temps in the winter to be record breaking cold and temps in the summer to be record breaking hot. You didn't have a spring break in high school. "Chipped ham" and "Baloney" was always in your refrigerator when you were growing up. You knew somebody whose last name ended in either A, E, I, O, or U, ich, or ko and nobody outside of Clairton can pronounce it. Food at a wedding reception consists of rigatoni, piggies, saurkraut Perogies and polska kielbasa. If Yunz guys actually understood all dat and have other Clairton memories, let me know. I'm thinking of starting a "Reflections of Clairton" blog. Send this on to other CHS grads. Andy Nixon, CHS class of 1960 |
| Reflections of Clairton |
 |