Bill

This is another little story in my effort to bridge the familiarity gap between the generations. Kind of telling tales to this Gen21 era about what it was really like
Then; long before we had all that we have now.

When in college in the 1950s one semester I took a 3 hour seminar course I needed for my degree given only on Saturdays. The class was filled with a variety of students. One in particular I gravitated to was a man I’ll call Bill.
Bill was a World War 11 veteran who spent eight years pursuing his bachelors degree
While working full time; married with two children; a full plate even for a man as determined as Bill.
It turned out that we would have many discussions at break time and after class. Of all Bill’s stories this was the most incredible. Here goes,


Immediately after WW11 Bill had just married after being discharged after spending three years in the U.S. Army, mostly in Italy. He participated in ‘limited combat.’ A subject he would never discuss.

With his mustering out pay he got married and bought a used ’39 Chevy. They were living with his wife’s parents ‘until we could get settled,’ Bill spent weeks on end looking for a job.

(Immediately after the war things were pretty tough. The country was struggling to transition from a wartime economy; and it was slow but determined.)

One Saturday Bill got in his Chey bought a newspaper and began to scan the want ads.
Seeing once again nothing in the want ads for which he was qualified, Bill scanned throught the paper. Then he saw a full page ad which read ‘VETERANS,YOU’RE YOUR OWN HOME. NO MONEY DOWN, MOVE RIGHT IN under the GI Bill. Incredulous, but having nothing else to do and not wanting to go home yet, Bill drove twenty miles out of the city to the homesite.

The along the highway were big signs advertising and giving directions to the site. Driving two miles off the highway on a crushed stone road in what used to be farmland stood a beautiful pastel colored model home surrounded by flags and balloons and small signs with words like ‘all appliances’ ‘move in condition,‘’a new quality of life,’stuck in the sod lawn that surrounded the model home.

The real estate was much to much for Bill. He anticipated every timid question Bill could muster. Finally, he convinced Bill to sign what was a contract of sale. Repeating, ‘You are a veteran. This GI Bill 100% mortgage if for men like you! Bill did not believe it but figured he had nothing, so he had nothing to lose.’ He left, stuffed the envelope under his seat; decided forget about it because once they checked him out and found out he had nothing, they would’nt bother him. And he certainly not tell his wife.

Four months later Bill had just started a new job and got a call from his crying frantic wife. “Bill, what have you done. I have mail here saying we bought a home. We are just getting back on our feet, we have a new baby on the way and we just found a small apartment. What is this insanity? We’re poor!!’ It Bill explained everything that evening. His wife’s response was that they were to go to this new place and she would simply calmly explain to the people their circumstances. “This part you leave up to me.I’ll get us out of this ”
So out to the site on the prescribed morning. Now the surrounding landscape was filled with homes in various stages of construction, which frightened her even more. “Oh my God. My husbands an idiot.’

The smiling real estate man greeted them and said everything was ready for them. Being used to unbelieving couples, he gave his well-prepared speech. Then pointed them in the direction of their new home, accompanying them and taking genuine pleasure seeing this overwhelmed couple inspect their new home. They returned, signed the paperwork that said their first mortgage monthly payment of $63.50 was due in two months.

Three months after moving in, Bill got another frantic call from his wife. “Bill, there are men here with bulldozers in the yard.” It turned out to be the landscaping crew installing shrubs and a new lawn around their home.

The year was 1947 in the new Suburbia!!!!!!!!!!!