It is 1934 and people around the world are suffering badly because of the Great Depression. Phil's dad, Cyril, is the village milkman and although he always delivers the milk on time, quite often his customers don't have the wherewithal to pay their accounts on time, and sometimes not at all.
On this particular day Cyril came home and said to his wife Lillian "Well, it's going to be a hard week. We only have 10/-d (ten shillings) to see us through." (Bear in mind that the dole then ... often paid by the parish ..... was only about 17/-d (seventeen shillings or $1.70) a week).
Some time later there came a knock at the front door. Their cottage was in a country area several miles outside Coventry so a visitor at night was somewhat unusual. Cyril opened the front door to find a well dressed gentleman standing there who tells Cyril that his car has become bogged in a muddy area and please could he perhaps assist him in getting it free.
Cyril agrees, and with that he harnesses up the horse and with young Phil in tow sets out to help this gentleman sort out the problem of his bogged car. After attaching the leads from the horse to the car and with Phil at the head of the horse to lead it, the car is gradually pulled free and once again stands on firm, dry ground.
The gentleman says many, many thanks for your help and thrusts a pound note into Cyril's hand. There was also a young lady in the car as well as the driver but of course no questions were asked and no explanation given. Obviously this gentleman found himself (and the young lady) in an awkward predicament when the car became bogged as it was a little way off the beaten track.
A good deed done and a good result all round as the family now had thirty shillings ($3) in their pocket which must have been a great relief to them.
The rescue probably went something along these lines (although if I was the young lady I'd have preferred a cosier type of car):
the universe provided yet again
ReplyDeleteJust in the nick of time it would seem.
DeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteAnother wonderful memory; poignant rather than mirthful I suppose, though of course the imagination could run wild with the mystery couple.......... &*> YAM xx
Lots of hidden depths to this story Yam. xx
DeleteI have just enjoyed catching up with many of your recent posts Mimsie - blogger is at it again and for many days now has not been displaying the latest posts of the blogs I follow. Very frustrating!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the rest of your week.
R.
Thanks Rose. Hope blogger sorts out all the problem so you are back in the main stream again. Me? I never know if everything is working or not. Rather computer illiterate I'm afraid. I just hope for the best. Hope your week went well too.
DeleteWhat a wonderful memory. And I do like that karma helped out again.
ReplyDeleteI think it's one of his best so far with a twist to it too.
DeleteA good deed is its own reward, but monetary payment helps a lot too.
ReplyDeleteThirty shillings was a LOT in those days. Nowadays, $3 doesn't even buy a loaf of bread unless you buy the generic brand.
Money is certainly an important element in many ways. You make me wonder how much a loaf of bread would have cost back in 1934. Food for thought there.
Delete