Monday, July 1, 2013

Furnished room for rent. $4 per month.


This room was even in a good part of the town. It was located on east 2nd street in Pomona, California. The year was 1939 to 1940. I was 14 or 15 and had a job washing dishes at the U & I Cafe on west 2nd. I was being paid my meals and an amount of money that figured out to be 17 cents per hour.

I can almost remember the lady that rented me the room. She was nice. The room was probably smaller than 6 by 10. It had probably been a closet. There was a bed and a dresser. Nails in the wall served as a closet. My room was upstairs and was centered over the sidewalk and front door. The bathroom was down the hall. The house looked something like this one.


At this time I was on my own. My Dad had recently suffered a bad stroke and was disabled. I was too young to go in the military. In a year or two I lied about my age for the draft and was soon in the Army at age 17.

I got my meals at work So my monthly expenses were $4 a month for my room. I was rolling in money even at 17 cents per hour!

I did not have a driving license. I did not know how to drive. I paid $35 for a Model A and had a friend drive it to my home. I drove back and forth in the backyard, then up and down the alley, then  around the block. Away I went. I will have another blog about what happened with the car.

Imagine. A car that drove down the road for $35!

1 comment:

  1. Interesting post... Your first car, and your first girl, are never forgotten. It seems like the whole day of the event are indelibly inscribed on our memory page... Hope you're feeling chipper! Ron B.

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