Definition of Opinion:  A belief or conclusion held with confidence but not substantiated by positive knowledge or proof.

Please be respectful to others with differing opinions. 

Bill Kaehler

David Rainwater

I had a paper route for a couple of years on 37^th from Thomas up to my street Weldon.  The bane of my existence was a vicious (to me) german shepherd named queenie who would chase me down the street barking and nipping at me.  I would have to pedal my Schwinn paperboy special (with the spring coil in front) using just the one leg on the non-queenie side.  Probably she only chased me a handful of times, but she looms big in my memories.  Sadly, in my current neighborhood of 10-15 houses, I’m the only one who takes the paper…a bygone era.

Frank Wiley

Hi Bill and David, My Station was actually a Union 76 Gas Station on the Northeast corner of 24th St and Indian School.  I told this story before but I'll tell it again.  We had a Classmate named Joe DeLuca.  Joe moved from New York City in 6-7th Grade and we went to Madison 2.  Back in the early 60's the Coke machines had glass bottles and that station had the Coke machine outside, not locked up and the empty bottles were in a wooden box next to it.  You remember that back then they didn't lock up the hoses on the gas pumps.  Joe used to always talk about how they would throw malitof cocktails (fire bombs) back in New York and we would always tell him he was "full of shit".  Well one morning we had all pretty much finished banding and loading our papers and Joe mentioned malitof cocktails which brought on the usual criticism from us.  Joe went over and got an empty bottle, filled it to 3/4 tore off a piece of the protective paper they had around the newspaper bundle and had actually brought some matches with him and lit the paper.  We all told him to put it out but he threw it West across 24th Street.  There were no sidewalks at that time and Tang's Market was set back on that corner but right along the street was dirt with a lot of dead weeds.  The thrown bottle landed on the pavement, broke, and started a fire in the weeds.  You never saw paperboys scatter so fast.  My route was from Amila to Clarendon and 24th Street to 22nd Street so I heard the Fire Engine sirens for half my route.  Thank God the fire only burned some weeds!!  

Patty Meyers (Anderson)

Michael Wetzel

To one and all, 

                      MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAVE A BLESSED

                                                DAY !

Michael Kelly

A VERY BELATED MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU. on the paper route Stations. I wound up having 3 Routes, and set out the papers for I think it was 12 other paperboys. My station was at 4oth Street and Indian School Rd. My manager was a man named Harley Breedlove, and he was my manager for about 3 years, then on a Saturday a man drove up and asked me if I knew where Harley was at, I knew but I was coverning for Harley, so I told Bryan Sompson that he had gone somewhere or other, he smiled at me and said Mike, your lying, I know where he is, and he told me the place. Then he said I am your new District Manager, and left and came back about a half hour later. I used to collect the money from quite a few paperboys, and then I did the Starts and Stops also with a Card Index. My labor was Cheap, Harley would buy me a CheeseBurger and a Chocolate Shake after I collected the Money and got the Starts and Stops done. Bryan came in after that Saturday, and he took over the Job I was doing for the Cheeseburger and a Malt and I was relieved of my Responsibilities for a while. 

There was a Swimming Pool behind the Hamburger Stand, and during the Summers we could go there on Saturdays beginning at 10 in the morning ans swim until 10 at night. i stayed Cool by swimming there all day. It was from the constant exposure to the Sun at the Pool that my skin went from a brown tone until I looked so dark that I was almost purple. You could swim all day at the Pool for a Dollar and then eat lunch there. They had a low diving board there, and we would try to do all kinds of flips and inverted jackknifes and other dangerous stuff. 

I don't think a day went by back then, where we did not have anything to do that was not connected to getting some pretty vigorous exercise as a by product of what we did. None of us were Fat even though my morning breakfast was a quart of Chocolate Milk and a half dozen of Glazed Donuts from the Bakery next to the AJ Bayless Market.

You guys won't cut loose of your stories, because I think I just have more stuff to tell while you were all waiting around for me to organize mischief to get into. Well, I took on the Role voluntarily and Im not complaining about it, but you guys had to be doing something You can all stay tight lipped, but eventually somebody is going to Fess Up. I know some of you had to ride your Bikes down "Suicide Hill" up on Camelback Mountain. Some of you even went off at the bottom and banged your knees up and got Cactus spines in your legs because of the sharp 90 degree right turn at the bottom of that steep hill. 

Rainwater, that GS Queenie, she regularly got after my younger brother Mark, and he complained about her to me, and I did his Afternoon Gazette Route for him and sure nuff Queenie came after me, and i did kick her once, but she learned how to move to one side and avoid being kicked. My brother got to using a squirt Gun with Soap suds in it it and that would burn her eyes and stop her somewhat. 

David Rainwater

Kelly, thanks for confirming my story. (I sometimes wonder how much I remember is true and how much has been 'embellished' over the 60+ years since the events happened.)  I had the Republic route (mornings) so I probably never knew your brother.  Finally, thanks for giving me a name I had all but forgotten - Harley Breedlove - he was my manager too.  I remember those big books of tear-out tabs that you would give the customer after they paid for the week (and some customers who had accumulated a number of unpaid week-tabs before I could catch them at home).  Did anyone ever sell donuts door-to-door?  I remember that's how I learned about donut holes (wasn't til much later that I figured out where they come from )

Bill RIHS

David's, I sold donuts door to door too. I did that before delivering the Az. Republic, I quit the donut thing after my stomach went bad from eating too many donuts. My paper route was east of 40th st between Earl or Osborn and Thomas. My station was at a gas station on the north west side of 40th st and Indian school. My manager was Breedlove too. I don't remember who were there too, maybe different time periods. Any of you remember emptying gas from the hose and lighting it to get warm in the winter? 

Kelly, was that swimming pool on the north side of Indian School between 36th st and 40 st.? It turned into a trout fishing pond in the winter.

Anyone remember making a match gun out of a clothes pin? It would shoot and light wooden matches. Me and budies set fire to lots of weeds and more😎.

Cheryl Faulkner (Sucato)

I almost always just hit delete when I come across these message forums because I don't enjoy the political back and forth.  What a delight to stop and read all of your old stories today.  My wish for the new year is that you keep it up!  Mike Wetzel, Mr. Edwards used to drive us in the rodeo parade in his calistoga, horse pulled wagon. Did you ever go with us?  Laurel, Corky, Christy and I for sure but I can't remember everyone else.  Each spring when there would be a new calf we took turns going over each day and brushing it.  Such great memories. Ed had a funny story about 36th Street and Osborn where he lived.  His Dad bought a horse named Diablo (should have been the first hint) at a horse auction.  The horse took off going full speed down 36th Street until a policeman had to finally somehow get his car in front of it and stop it.  He loved growing up in that neighborhood with Joey DiVito and Bob Campo and playing little league at Monte Vista.  Happy New Year to all!

Lester Cox

Happy belated birthday Cheryl. 

Randy Edwards

It would seem that everyone had a paper route with lots of stories. So, I'll share one. My station was at the Valley bank on 36th and Thomas where the papers were dumped on the east sidewalk near the double glass doors. While folding and banding my papers I leaned on the door handle and propmtly fell into the Valley bank.I walk over to the managers desk and called the police. Who later determikned the cleaning crew had failed to  lock the doors. Two months later the same thing occured - I believe the cleaning crew was fired this time..

Michael Wetzel

Cheryl, I never rode in that large ol wagon, with the rest of you kids. But I did help Mr. Edwards set it up a couple of times, for his rides. I enjoyed watching him drive all of you down the street. I still think of him, quite frequently and the chores I helped him with. I fed the cows, his milk cow ( Betsy I believe ), his horses, chickens, and those turkeys of his. Turkeys have to be one of the meanest critters on earth. No matter how many times I fed them, they would still chase you all the way home.  He had the most fertile gardens you could find, with his own mixture of his own making for fertizler. Whenever I went fishing in the canal, we would dig up some of his worms, the size of which you wouldn't believe. Like I have stated, I loved the old gentleman, and still to this day, miss him ! I have many other memories of visiting his farm, perhaps for another time..........

DeWitt Bacon

Cheryl, Thanks for rejoining our chat. Yes, it is nice to get away from politics for a while and talk about the "GOOD 'OL DAYS."  I'm not sure who the Ed you mentioned is, but I also lived on 36th just south of Osborn, across from Monte Vista. Osbourn ended at 36th Street, and an irrigation ditch continued east from there. I remember gathering along that ditch where some kids would smoke. If anyone remembers Shannon Ivers, he lived on 36th on the north side of the ditch. That was still in the county, and there were a few horses around. I had older sisters, and my dad bought them a horse from Mr. Thompson, who lived on Earl Drive east of 36th Street.  Mr. Thompson had a son, Bill Thompson, better known as Wallace Sneed, who appeared on a Channel 5 kids' show. That horse had a protruding backbone and was almost impossible to ride without a saddle, which we didn't have. Lol. Dad finally sold that horse. I hope it wasn't to Ed. Lol. 

I guess you could call us the "36th Street Gang.

Jim Coats

Bill Rihs.  That swimming pool on the No. side of Indian School around 37th St. was Parker Pool.  It was small but pretty nice.  Of course, Perry Pool South of Thomas on the West side of 32nd St. (Perry Park where I played a lot of baseball) was HUGE.  I liked them both.

I actually took swimming lessons at Dick Smith's Swim Gym East of 28th St. & on the South side of Campbell (very close to CHS).  I never did like the breast stroke where you had to exhale under water and inhale when you stroked.  Soooo, I held my breath crossing the pool over and back and built up some real good lung power for a kid who was sickly when younger.

Someone told me Dick Smith was a former Olympian or maybe an Olympic Coach.  Anyone know anything about that?  I know my trainer (Orville) got me to dive off the high board and that sort of changed my whole attitude.

Good to see Cheryl on board.  You might try one of our Beer Summits at The Vig.  No politics, No religion.

P.S.  What famous TV star rode a horse named Diablo.  Hint.  His partner was Pancho.

Bill RIHS

Jim, I believe Perry pool was off of 32nd st. And Thomas.  I played a lot of baseball there and swimmming. I had Mrs. Perry for homeroom teacher, I think 5th or 6th grade. She tapped my mouth shut, I was special😎. I believe her husband donated the land where Perry Park was and is the same today.

Cheryl, welcome back! I agree with Jim, come to our Beer Summit, no politics, really! Promise!!!

Michael Kelly

Folks that small pool where on Saturdays I collected the money from the other Newspaper Boys was on Indian School Road, North side and east of 36th Street. Yes, Harley Breedlove was our Manager. DeWitt I remember Shannon Ivers, and Cliff Greenland and Dennis Manning, I called him "Red" because he was redheaded. Rusty Box (your going to think I made the name up) who I remember his parents both rode Black Harley Motorcycles. The frist paperstation I remember was a gasoline station on the south side if Indian School Road, and I think it was at 32nd Street. Back then we could get a Coke out of the Machine and also Peanuts and so we would get a Coke in a Bottle and put the Peanuts in the Bottle with the Coke. Funny how simple stuff was so satisfying, nowadays people would probably about Peanut Allergies if you did that. 

The paper route I had came with a sort of Heritage, for want of a better word, the guy who had it just before me was a Chinese fellow, and he had gotten Straight A's and then a Scholarship to Harvard,  and the paper Carrier that preceded him was a High School Wrestling Champ and he did not ride a Bike to deliver the Newspapers, he would carry the papers by using the two bags and put his head through the Hole in the Center, and not wear a T-Shirt while Running, yes, I said Running the Route that I had. So I got this route, and I was not any good at Math at all like the Chinese guy, and I was getting tall but I had no muscle to speak of, and so I couldn't wrestle and carrying the papers on my back and front with my head stuck through the Holie in the Middle was not going to work, I even tried it once and the canvas of the bag made my shooulders get chafed and pretty red even half way before my Routes were finished. That was not my path to Fame or Notoriety at all. 

I struggled in School, I pretty much cared more about playing Baseball than just about anything else.One class I do remember was with the Latin Teacher, who reminded me of that Movie "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" about a teacher. Our Latin teacher was always wearing Sweaters, and he would wipe his Nose and so he Always had White Chalk smudges on his Nose. He was a good Latin teacher, and taught me how to use Latin pretty well.

Coats I remember taking swimming classes at Dick Smith's Swim Gym so that I could learn how not to drown. I was afraid of the  water, and my Coach finally got tired of me being so much of a coward, and so he said to us that if would could swim all the way across the pool then we would Pass and our Lessons would be over. We swam from one end of the Pool to the other, and so my turn came and I started and swam felt toe first rope, went under it, felt the second rope, went under it but then it seemed like the Pool had gotten longer and longer and longer and I was bagged out for more air, so I figured Ill just give up, and if I drown then its been a good life so far and I have tried my best. So, I quit swimming and thought I won't touch the bottom of the Pool and this will be it, and then my feet hit toe bottom. I stood up and I was at the shallow end of the Pool and the Instructor was behind me and he started laughing at me. He said you looking for the Rope, and he was holding it up out of the water so I wouldn't feel it. We did have to dive off the High Board but that was easier for me since I had learned that I wasnt going to Drown. In retrospect, the Swimming lessons were good, because when I took Lessons to get Qualified for Scuba Diving I had no problems, and So I got PADI Certified in a short period of time. One friend does Diving in Caves that are in the Pacific and you have to get an additional Cerficiation for that. They use those irridescent Balls of String to find their way back out  and you have to gauge your time so that you leave yourself enough time to back trace your way in. My attitude about that is the same as the popular saying "Whi would I want to Dive out of a Perfectly Safe Airplace at 15 thousand feet just to say I have done it" 

Frank Wiley

Yes Cheryl, Welcome back and please join us at the "Beer Summit".  The Vig has just about any beverage you would want.  You mentioned Wine in a post awhile back.  They have numerous wine choices.  Dick Smith Swim Gym was on the Southeast corner of 20th Street and Campbell.  I went to Madison #2 which was right across the street.  D.S. also had trampolines and a couple times we climbed the fence and bounced when they were closed.  The trampolines were used to teach flips and twists.  I think our Camelback Swim Team trained there.  New Book I endorse;  "1929" by Ross Sorkin.  Some very interesting true things I didn't know about the Stock Market crash.

Jim Coats

Bill and Frank.  Thanks for straightening out my memory as to the location of Perry Pool and Dick Smith's Swim Gym.  I guess I was close which is pretty good these days.  I Googled Dick Smith and he WAS an Olympic Dive coach and much more.  Quite a life.  My memory served me OK on that one.

No takers on my Trivia Question?  What popular TV star rode a horse named Diablo?  This was in the 50's, of course.  No cheating.  This star's partner was Pancho and his horse was named Loco, I think.

Mike K. Bill Rihs:   What was the name of the bar on the East side of 36th St. North of Indian School, straight across from Chet's Electric (Glen Myrick's Dad) and Barberi (sp?) Cycles?  Was that Wild Horse?  Anyhow, I went in there sometime in the early 70's I think and Rusty Box was the bartender.  I remember him as very friendly and he had very rough hands when we shook.  Another one gone too young. 

I briefly "remembered" Rusty today in the In Memory section.  I do that once in a while for different classmates...even if I don't know them.  Maybe I'm crazy, but I "feel" that possibly family members or even our deceased classmates might somehow see the entry and take some comfort.  I think it's good to not be forgotten.

David Rainwater

Jim, I can still hear Pancho in my head laughing 'oh ceeesko'.  I suppose it's not very PC anymore, but a fond memory.

DeWitt Bacon

Jim, I believe that would be the Cisco Kid. And as I recall, that bar was called "Wild Horse Tavern." I went there while home on leave one time and had a couple of beers, but I didn't see anyone I knew.

Did I win a prize? Lol

Patty Meyers (Anderson)

Cisco Kid??

Jim Coats

Ding...Ding...Ding!  Correcto mundo!  It was the Cisco Kid (Duncan Reynaldo) and Pancho was played by Leo Carillo.  I enjoyed that show as a young kid.

Sorry....No prize, DeWitt.  Just respect for your memory.

In case you've forgotten why I brought this up, I think Cheryl mentioned a horse named Diablo and that triggered childhood memories.

Lefty.  Interesting what you came up with re: Mr. Wilson.

Bill Rihs.  Wow!  I had NO idea of the connection between Perry Park and Mrs. Perry.  Very interesting!

Fact:  I know of three of our teachers who were WWII Vets and they never mentioned it.  Russ Osterhout, Vince Laybe and Al Soroka.  I think they were all decorated for valor.  Never said a word!

Cheryl Faulkner (Sucato)

Thanks for the invite Frank but I don't want to be the only woman at your beer summits!  Just in case, when is it?

DeWitt Bacon

I never knew the connection between Perry Pool and Mrs. Perry at Monte Vista. She was not on my list of favorite teachers there. We did not get along at all. Suffice it to say, my entire life would have been better had I not been put in her class.

I know. "sour grapes," so I'll just move along. 

DeWitt Bacon

Cheryl, since I live too far from Phoenix now, it's not easy for me to attend the summits, but I have been to a couple. Reading Frank's comments before each summit, I see that women are not only allowed to attend but encouraged to do so. I think you will enjoy it—simple rules: No politics or other controversial subjects like religion—just a good time and having fun for all.