Remembering a Slower Time 2005

A recent e-mail made me pause and remember how it was when we used to travel two-lane roads to wherever and enjoy seeing the countryside.  This was a time when “modem” meant what Pa had done to the hay fields (he mowed ’em) and “download” meant gettin’ wood off’n the wagon.  There were no interstate highways — the time I’m talking about was the 1930’s and 1940’s.

The main paved road we traveled (our travel back then was sparse) would have been Highway 11 which was the main thoroughfare between Chattanooga and Birmingham (and points beyond).  One time on a bright, fall Saturday morning I was in Fort Payne, our county seat, and Hwy. 11 goes right through the middle of town.  Tennessee was playing Alabama in football, and back then I believe all those games were played in Birmingham, I was amazed at the traffic in Fort Payne; it was bumper to bumper — a very unusual and memorable sight for a country girl visiting in the city.  That was my first time to see heavy traffic.

Back then alongside the highways every few miles would be Burma Shave signs.  These signs were made up of five little posts (probably standing three or four feet high) and each held a little long, narrow board, and each board contained a line of a four-line couplet and the fifth board always read, “Burma Shave.”  The posts were set about 100 feet apart, which made riding and reading easy.

As I recall, the posts and boards were white with red lettering.  What fun we had reading the snappy rhymes as we motored along and we always looked forward to the next group.  There might have been signs every ten miles or so.  Of course, Burma Shave is/was a popular shaving cream.

In my thimble collection there is a Burma Shave thimble which reads:

THROUGH THIS VEIL
OF TOIL AND SIN
YOUR HEAD GROWS BALD
BUT NOT YOUR CHIN
Burma Shave

Here are a few other couplets I hope you enjoy.  If you can remember the Burma Shave signs, you have a few years under your belt and if you can’t remember them, this is your history lesson for the day.  Burma Shave signs were just one of the fun parts of 1930’s and 1940’s style of country living.

TRAINS DON’T WANDER
ALL OVER THE MAP
‘CAUSE NOBODY SITS
IN THE ENGINEER’S LAP
Burma Shave

DON’T LOSE YOUR HEAD
TO GAIN A MINUTE
YOU NEED YOUR HEAD
YOUR BRAINS ARE IN IT
Burma Shave

DROVE TOO LONG
DRIVER SNOOZING
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
IS NOT AMUSING
Burma Shave

AROUND THE CURVE
LICKETY-SPLIT
BEAUTIFUL CAR
WASN’T IT?
Burma Shave

A GUY WHO DRIVES
A CAR WIDE OPEN
IS NOT  THINKIN’
HE’S JUST HOPIN’
Burma Shave

CAR IN DITCH
DRIVER IN TREE
THE MOON WAS FULL
AND SO WAS HE
Burma Shave