1952: Breakfast at the Snooks

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It’s a big week for the Snook family. The engine Benjamin has been working on at Boeing for six months is being tested this week, and he’s a bundle of nerves. Our oldest daughter Debbie has a piano recital coming up and she’s a bundle of nerves too. (We’ll all be glad not to have to hear that “Etude” after Saturday!) It’s been raining so long the yard is a giant puddle, and every time Stevie goes outside to play he comes back covered in mud from head to toe. When he’s indoors, he won’t stop bouncing his ball in the kitchen no matter what I do. The baby is learning to walk, and keeps falling down – he looks like a drunken sailor, staggering around with that big bruise over one eye.  Poor Judith is  in bed with the flu, and I’m just hoping the rest of them don’t catch it.

It's seven o’clock Tuesday morning. The baby has just tripped over Debbie’s shoes again – I keep telling her not to leave them in the hall! -- I’ve got him clamped to my hip with one arm, and he's wailing. In the other hand I'm carrying a plate of bacon and eggs. Benjamin is sitting at the table, looking at me over the newspaper, not noticing the smoke coming from the toaster next to him. Just as I’m about to tell him to unplug it, the telephone rings.

Debbie comes running into the kitchen and picks it up excitedly. But when she hangs up a minute later she’s got a dangerous look in her eyes. “Mom!” she cries, “Janey says the dress of the day is green checks! Did you get those jelly stains out of my green dress yet?” There is a terrible pause. "My life is ruined!" she sobs, and runs from the room.

I look helplessly at Benjamin, who has unplugged the toaster and is busy scraping the blackened layer off a piece of toast with his knife. He gives me a wink and asks, “Are those eggs ready yet?” -- just as the baby sends the plate flying out of my hand and onto the floor.



-- Mikala Woodward


EVIDENCE


1941-1974: Benjamin and Mabel Snook are listed at 4354 S. Bennett. He is a safety engineer. After Mr. Snook passes away, Mrs. Snook lives in the house until it is torn down in 1988. (Source: Polk's Directory)


“Hello” Telephone Company advertisement  (Source: South District Journal, 1956)


Family life does not always mirror its depiction in advertisements. (Source: Personal Experience)


Old toasters didn't "pop up" when the toast was done; you had to unplug them. You also had to flip the bread over so the other side would get toasted. (Source: Mrs. Piggle Wiggle's Magic; Rainier Valley Historical Society Collection)