I remember when Jiffy Pop came out with their little tin container that you moved over your stove flame until it all popped open.

I remember how if a student talked back to the teacher, he went directly to the principal's office. If it happened again, he was never seen again.

I remember roller skating rinks. Sidewalks were okay but there were family rinks. They didn't rent skates but had lots of space for families to sit together and watch skaters. The parents did NOT drop off their kids, they stayed until they all left together.

I remember when the city park had not just a swimming pool but also a wading pool. Oh that was so nice for when you just wanted to cool off your feet. What fun the park was. They had those little cookers on a pedestal for building your own fire for cooking a few hotdogs. There were always some limbs and twigs for using in your pit. No one ever left a mess and no fires ever got out of control. That was eating out!

I remember when children were safe to walk to and from school. No bad people ever stopped to cause us trouble.

I remember when the post office delivered mail twice every day. Not just for businesses but also to all residences.

I remember when grocery and department stores provided blank checks for all the city's banks. You didn't need to have the kind with your name and account printed on it.

I remember Mrs. Brown's Diner in downtown Abilene, Texas. There was this huge table with chairs all around. As the table filled with hungry folks, the servers would bring in platters with meats and huge bowls with vegetables and gravy. Cobbler for dessert.

I remember when passenger trains still ran through Abilene. My dad's mother and sister would visit from St. Louis, MO. It  quit running about 1955 or so.