Inflation Calculator
$7.95 in 1959 had the same buying power as $67.82 in 2018
Annual inflation over this period was about 3.70%
They are on sale today, On Line, for $55.00!
Our visit to D Street brought back a memory
burnt into my mind:
It was a Saturday, the day after my birthday & I had gotten nothing.
Me & Michael were sitting on the bottom of the steps planning our day
when Mother came out the door & yelled down,
"Gerry, you can go buy Converse sneakers at Coopers, just
bring back the change!"
Me & Michael looked @ each other & transponded
"!?!WTF?!?"
But we gathered some friends from the Rec,
went to Coopers (they asked to see our money before
I tried on the sneakers) and I got my first pair of Converse!
We did return the $2.05 change.
There was no sales tax back in those days...
And I could jump higher & run faster ever since!
7 comments:
I remember that day..every word is true!
You didn't ask, but, I'll tell my story anyway. Mother promised for my birthday I'd get my first pair of CCTAS'. Well, it's Saturday and she's waiting on tables at a diner at 5th & Bristol (she soon quit after coming home crying early in AM because some pig touched her inappropriately. (Infuriating issue but Dad stayed calm and said, you're finished there). Late Saturday afternoon, birthday, I'm thinking, she forgot. Finally, dear Mother arrives and I hang around her without saying anything. Finally, she says, "Oh My goodness John, I forgot and counts out the dough and says, you better hurry before they close." I spring to 5th & Wyoming and the door is locked. I bang on the door and one of the brothers, one with hair, peaks around from the basement door and waves and opens the door. "What size kid? I dunno..." and he uses the metal sizer. Perfect fit! He asks, 'wanna take the old ones with you? I run home, touching the power lines and top of every telephone poll til I get back to 4918 and I leap the entire 8 steps to the porch.....all true. God Bless the Best Mother any kid could have. PS: The $7.95 must've been the entire day's earning for serving slop to pigs. Incredible woman.
Since I was the youngest, and by that time Dad and Mother had started a trust fund for me, I don't have such cute stories to tell. I'll only say that after Mother and Dad had a conversation with my coach, Bunky Morton, they came home convinced I had a bright athletic future ahead and whatever equipment, apparel, or dietary plan I needed, I got. So, I actually had multiple pair of high white Chuck T's. I told Mother that I needed to ALWAYS have a brand new pair available for games. Three games were the max, after that they became playground Chuck's. I also remember making it a requirement to ALWAYS have a pair of low black Chuck T's available in case I wanted to imitate Andy Quinn or one of the Boston Celtics. I recall that my demands were always met and look at the success I am today. Thanks Mary & Jack.
I remember BOTH of those incidents. You guys told me about it right after I got home from busting up a sidewalk for Kuhars. Dad collected my “room & board” and next thing you know, you guys got new sneakers. Hmmm
I remember being asked by Dad.."Michael would you like a pair of Chucks?"..to which I replied.."no thanks, Pop..my future doesn't include Basketball..I'm never going to reach 6ft tall..!"...but I could use a pair of Baseball spikes, or a glove or a new bat, Mickey Mantle 32oz Hillerich/Bradley model, available at Coopers'! or a guitar I saw in Zaph's window!"...and sure enough..I got them the following day! Every word is true! It was that easy...
I never remembered that Michael. spikes, a glove, a Mickey Mantle bat, and a guitar from Zaphs?
You would think I would have remembered seeing that stuff in our bedroom...hmmm?
Timmy's story if false news. how I know? The only foot apparel I ever knew Dad buying was the black Flag Flyers (as I remember Dad said, 'since he's been such a good student, Mary, why don't we get John something classy and nice) he bought me at the shoe store behind St. Marty's Church, Oxford Circle South, errr, North? You all waited in the car and he and Mother took me in. "Flip their open, Flip their shut".....I do remember pushing the envelope that night while we waited to be serviced by asking 'could I also get that great looking motorcycle jacket hanging there'? "Absolutely not. No son of mine will wear such a jacket" was the sweet kindly reply.
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