“I LIKE THE DEPRESSION”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17947, 26 November 1932, Page 8

“I LIKE THE DEPRESSION”

A TEXAS CLASSIC By Henry Ashley, of the Amarillo Globe News. f ]il<o Hio depression. No more prosperity for me. ! have had more fun since the depression started than I ever had in lire life; 1 had forgotten how to live, wiuit it meant to have nail friends, what it was like to eat common everyday food. Pact is, I was gel ting just a little high hat. Three years ago, only one man of the News-Globe organisation could be out of town at a time and he had to leave at the last minute and get back as stoon as possible. Many times I have driven TOO miles to a banquet, sat through three hours of bunk in order to make a e-minute speech, then drive the TOO miles back so as to got ready for work the next morning. Nowadays, as many News-Globe, employees as are invited make those trips and wo stay as long as we want to. The whole outfit could leave the office now and it wouldn't make any difference.

| Tike the depression. 1 have time to visit 'my friends, to make new ones. Two years ago when .1 wont to a neighboring town. 1 always stayed at the hotel. Now fgo home with my friends, sta.v all night and enjoy homecooking. j have even spent the weekend with some of the boys who have been kind enough to invite rue.

It is great to drop into a store and feel that you can spend an hour or two or tlnee or a half day just visiting arid not foci that, you are wasting valuable time. I like the depression.

1 am getting acquainted with my neighbors. In the last six months I have become, acquainted with talks who have been living next door to me for three years. I am following the Biblical admonition; “Love your neighbors.” One of my neighbors has one of the best looking wives I have ever seen. She is a, dandy. iam getting acquainted with my neighbors and learning to love them. Three years ago, I ordered my clothes from a merchant tailor—two and three suits at a time. All my clothes were good ones. 1 was always dressed up. But now. I haven't bought a suit in two years. lam

mighty proud of my Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes. When 1 dress up. .1 am dressed up and I don't mean maybe. I like the depression.

Three, years ago I was so busy and my wife was so busy that we didn't see much of each other, consequently wc sort of lost interest in each other. I never went home to lunch. About twice a week I went home for dinnei —at 6.30 o'clock. I never had time to go anywhere with her. If 1 did go on a party, I could never locate her, since there was always a “blonde” of a “rod head” available I didn't 'much worry about it.

AVo got stuck up and highfalutin. We even took down the old family bed and bought a set of twin beds — on the instalment plan.

When 1 would come home at night, if my wife was at home, she would already be in her bed and 1 would crawl into mine. If she came in first it, was vice versa.

AVc like the depression. Wo have come down off our pedestal and are really living, at my house now.' The twin beds are stored in the garage and the old family affair is being used. AVo are enjoying life. .Instead of taking a hot water bottle lo bed these cold nights, she sticks her heels in my back just like she did befor< Hoover was elected.

I haven't been out on a party iu 16 months. I have lost my book ot telcplioiu! numbers. My wife hat dropped all the clubs, I believe we are falling in Jove all over again. lam pretty well satisfied with my wife. Think 1 will keep her, at least until she is 40 and then if I feel like J. do now, I may trade her for two twenties.

1 am feeling better since the depression. I take more exercise. .1 walk to town and a Jot of folks who used to drive Cadillacs are walking with me. I like the depression. .My digestion is better. I. haven’t been to set! a doetor in a year. I can eat anything 1 want to. I am getting real, honest-to-goodnos? food. Three years ago, wo had lilot mignon once a week, now wo have round steak and Hour gravy. Then we had roast breast of guinea-hen, now we are glad to get sow-bosom with the buttons on it.

.1 like the depression. AtY salary has been cut to where .1 can’t afford to buy lettuce and spinach and parsley and we can’t afford to have sand wichcs and frozen desserts and all that danif’oolishncss which has killed more good men than the World War. f like the depression, ’three years ago, 1 never had time to go to church T played golf all day Sunday and liesides .1 was so darned smarl that there wasn’t a preacher in West Texas who could tell me anything. Xow I am going to church regularly, never miss a Sunday.

And if this depression keeps on, .1 will be going to prayer meeting before long. 1 like the depression.