D-Day Behind the Soda Fountain
While browsing through those vintage drugstore images, I came upon this lovely photo of a girl behind a soda fountain. The story that came with the photo is one of those thoughful glances we sometime get into the past lives of our loved ones. This one is told to Joey Harrison by his mother, of a special day, D-Day, spent behind the soda fountain.
[Photo and comments by Joey Harrison's mother]
Our apartment in 1950 was above the Unclaimed Freight Store. Next door to it was a Rexall drugstore, on a neighborhood corner. It was owned by a grumpy guy who filled prescriptions, sold personal goods that were kept behind the counter in those days, and did everything except tend the soda fountain. In this photo darling soda-jerk Margie Chrisman poses while sipping a fountain Coke and waiting for the after-school crush. See the “signs of the time” posted behind her!
If you’ve seen one Rexall drugstore in that era you’ve seen ‘em all, like the Rite Aids of today. This photo could as well have been me on D-Day, June 6, 1944, as I worked at a soda fountain in White Cloud, Michigan. A quiet, bright June day in the drugstore and Mr. LeMire, the pharmacist/owner asked me to clean shelves. A woman came in for a prescription. A soda-fountain customer asked for a chocolate soda. I pumped chocolate syrup into the bottom of a tall glass, added a half- scoop of ice cream, then tilting the glass zapped the combination with a pressurized stream of soda water until the bubbling mixture reached halfway up. Now a large scoop of ice cream was added. Soda water to fill the glass. Topping of marshmallow cream from one of the white ceramic tilt-front containers, all with chrome covers. A cherry. Two big straws and a long spoon. The customer was my boy-friend Jim Champion, who had recently planted a first kiss the night before my 16th birthday. As he sipped and spooned the chocolate goodness I leaned over the counter in his direction. It was OK to schmooze the customers.
Jim’s mother was our high school principal. One afternoon I called the operator and asked for Jim’s number (no dial phones there). I knew his Mom would still be at work. A cultivated voice answered. Oh-oh, Jim’s grandmother. I asked for Jim. Grandmother asked who was calling. Taken off guard, I answered shyly, “I’d rather not say.” Aristocratic Grandmother replied tartly, “Then I have no information for you, young lady.” CLICK. Stung and shamed, I never ever called Jim again. Today the humiliation is almost as great, just remembering! I learned a lesson, and never forgot it.
Recently while surfing for information about Newaygo County an amazing tidbit surfaced. Jim’s grandfather, William Julius Champion had walked to Yale from his home in White Cloud, Michigan, a distance of 897 miles!
Other customers were few in LeMire’s Drug that June morning. I was wearing a summery blue dotted-swiss U-neck dress. A teenage newshound, I turned on the radio while washing shelves and learned of the landing at Normandy.
A very big thank you to Joey Harrison for giving us permission to share his mother’s photo and story. View more of Joey Harrison & his mother’s photos on his Flickr page.
