A visit to the coin laundry.
Mrs. Cecil Witty caught me the other day . . . reading the World-Herald while doing a basket of laundry at the Highlander Laundromat.
Actually, Mrs. Witty, I was reading one of those movie magazines and looking at the pictures and had it inserted in between the pages of the Omaha newspaper.
What was I doing at the laundry?
Washing dirty clothes. What else?
You see, it's like this . . .
"Ivan, there's something wrong with the washing machine again," the household administrator said.
"Whattya mean?" answered the king and master.
"The belt came off and the washer is full of hot soapy water."
"Oh, oh," I said. "Just leave it, mother, and I'll fix it tonight when I get home," saith the master mechanic, plumber and all around honey-do man.
It was really fun to flip the washer over to check the underside . . . Soapy water flowed out all over the basement floor causing the biggest mess you've ever seen.
The trouble was spotted . . . a broken pulley.
To make matters worse, the pumped was chewed up with age and needed replacing. And so, while Montgomery Ward has been filling the parts order, the household laundry was moved to temporary quarters.
Meanwhile I've learned that coins are no longer used in the machines. Instead you seek the help of Mrs. Fred (Opal) Newby, the manager, and she'll show you how to get little gismos from a machine that fit in the jasonvalves and serve as the "coin."
Pretty tricky, I thought. The little plastic cards can be inserted in the coin slots and . . . that's all she wrote, brother, the rest is A-automatic.
We live in a pretty amazing world. Today's housewife not only wants the little niceties of a home, she demands things to keep her family bright and smiling.
The coin laundry is a good example. Today's housewife may have her own washing machine and do much of the laundry at home. But for rugs, her husband's greasy coveralls or some other heavy duty fabric, she demands a service. And she gets that at a public laundry that has good equipment, is well lighted and comfortable.
See, fellas . . . I always told you the gals get what they want.
Nebraska City rescue squadsmen got to meet the two new doctors, Gary Rademacher and Rod Koerber, the other night at a meeting at the fire-rescue complex.
The doctors fielded dozens of questions on emergency care and got acquainted with the volunteers after the business meeting.
Don Chapin, the squad's training officer, said the emergency medical technician course (EMT) will begin the last of October. Indications are that EMT will be a federal requirement in a few years.
There is some concern among squadsmen about the course — it's lengthy and could cause dropouts from the roster.
Chapin said not too much is known about the course. The instructor has yet to visit the squad for a briefing. Chapin said the course requires 72 hours of classroom work and 10 hours of emergency room training.
Squadsmen were confident the other night about taking the course and passing the tests, but putting in the hours could be a real problem.
The men are volunteers and a number of them work nights. Chapin said the course could be stretched out over a six-month period or could be crammed into about three months, if run two nights a week.
There was talk also of tape recording sessions for those who were absent. But it was just that — talk. Chapin suggested that the squad hold off until the instructor arrives.
If you're interested in joining the rescue squad, contact Harold Rowe, the chief; Frank Bataillon, the secretary or Chapin. Now is a good time to sign up and get in on the new training session.
And now the recall.
We're voting FOR Mayor A. O. Gigstad.
Ervin Rogers has my respect.
It's no easy task for a man in business in town to get involved in a recall election where popularity and ability either go down the drain or you make it.
We've disagreed with Mayor Gigstad and former Mayor Rogers, but we've never felt that a recall would satisfy the situation.
I don't like the proposed 13 per cent increase in City Utilities rates, but I don't suggest that we have a recall to stop that. The people on that board work without pay, the same as the Airport Authority, and they are responsible people. I'm going to trust their judgment in that.
We've talked with many people around town about the recall and if we had the answer how the election was going to come out it would be in print.
One day I came back to the office from a survey to report that Gigstad will make it a landslide . . . another time the felling was that it will be close . . . another time it was "Gigstad's going to go out." It's also the hottest item of talk among the gals at the beauty shops and at last report, Rogers had the lead.
Don't bet on my judgment. I'm the world's worst guesser. I voted for Barry Goldwater for President.
Don't cut Mayor Gigstad short. He's not begging for your vote. He asking you to renew your trust in him.
Weigh your own thoughts. Look around YOUR town. See any improvements that weren't there a few years ago?
We think Mayor Gigstad has done a fine job for our town.
He's big enough to take criticism for any mistakes and he's man enough to shoulder them and serve the people of this town with sincerity and honesty.