Copyright © All rights reserved. Made by Dr. Joseph P. Kawoski.
On Thursday afternoon, the firemen would open up the fire hydrant on the corner of Somerset and Napoleon Streets and all the kids in the close neighborhoods , wearing bathing suits, would be waiting to play in the water.
Then there was excitement when the so called Cactus man came to town. He came in a panel truck with pictures painted on the sides in bright colors of snakes and cactus. He would open the panel in the back and put on a little show. Someone would beat a drum or a girl would dance or a monkey perform. He had a box of snakes, and lined up bottles of liquid and oil. He then proceeded to give a high pressured sales pitch talk about his elixir, which was supposed to be good for whatever ailed you and the snake oil for any exterior aches and pains.
A big event was to go to a newly wedded couple’s house and serenade them with anything that made noise as banging old pots and pans till the groom would eventually come out and throw pennies.