Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Drive-in movie

Carol Class of '51 : Who remembers the old drive-in theater? That was THE place to go on a date. So many of us would pile in one of our parent's cars (even in the trunk) and have a ball. Sometimes we even watched the movie.

Butch Class of 60: Was it the "Sky Vue Drive-In"? I have a few memories about that place, too. I remember the first time we went as a family. The drive-in was new and it was a really convenient and inexpensive place to take the whole family to the movies. The Ford family didn't go to the movies much....more like never before or after. The Ford kids had their jammies on and the back floor was made level to the back seat with quilts. It was pretty neat. I would like to think we took our own popcorn and snacks, but I really don't remember.

Years later, my Dad's pickup truck was my primary vehicle. I remember taking the truck to the drive-in a couple of times. I usually took the cover off the bed. Had to, it had FORD'S FOOD CENTER on both sides. You couldn't get away with very much in FC in those days. It was a cinch you couldn't with that kind of publicity riding around on the back of your transportation.

Back to the point. The drive-in was often referred to as the "passion pit." A couple of us guys got a bale or two of hay and spread it around in the back of the truck, got dates and went to the drive-in for a genuine hay ride. (There were some other hay rides back then that were memorable.) All we had to do was park backward. It didn't work. The hay got all over us, down our necks, everywhere. Plus, it was pretty warm and the hay stuck to the sweat. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

I remember those little curly green things you could light and the fumes were supposed to keep the skeeters away. Nothing keeps St. Francis County mo-skeeters away. Cigarette smoke was probably just as effective. How about the guy with the fogger who would fog up the place between movies. He would look for cars with kids he knew, especially if they were making out, and fog 'em good. I don't remember that the fogger had any real effect on the mosquitos, but it had a sudden and negative effect on the make-out part.

4 Comments:

Blogger Peach Fuzz said...

I just barely remember the drive-in theater. It seems every time something good comes along--it disappears before everyone gets to enjoy it's benefits! By the time the Class of '62 was able to "make the scene", the "scene" was obsolete. However, we made our own "scene"--does anyone remember the "block parties"? We had a really big one thrown by our parents for our graduating class. We blocked off the 200 block of Fussell Street in front of my parents home and had the whole class plus parents and guests! The party was a huge success along with the "Fortune Teller", fifties and sixties music rendered by the juke box, and dancing had by all. Do kids have this kind of fun any more?
Bogie

Fri Jul 07, 04:40:00 PM 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I graduated in '70 and went to the drive-in many times...maybe they re-opened it. Remember those little green Pics they would sell you to get rid of the bugs...and those speakers never worked! One Saturday night we had about 10 of us in Ronnie Spivey's convertible, he parked up front and opened the top of the car and left it straight up in the air long enough for every car horn to honk at us at least once! I think that was the same night we went to the Lincoln High School football game to see the band at half-time...had a ball...don't think I ever told my parents about that one!!

Thu Jul 13, 07:31:00 PM 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I can remember Ellen had a block pary at her house for two grades the summer after out tenth grade. sign of growing older because in jr high we had scavenger hunts wonder if it is safe enough for that in Forrest City now??? dora

Fri Aug 18, 04:39:00 PM 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I remember Ellen's party. We danced outside in the little drive that went beside her house. I remember dancing to the song "Dancing In The Streets." Maybe that's what gave her the idea for the party. Who made that song? I never remember the names of the artists.

Sat Aug 19, 08:54:00 PM 2006  

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