The Summer of '55 (Take 2)

Started by Blinkin, June 30, 2013, 01:02:34 AM

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Orval Wintermute

Quote from: Palabra on July 02, 2013, 12:51:20 PM
I'm thinking my character would be a car guy. The son of a mechanic..

aww, gee shucks! (I knew that practice would come in handy) someone got to the son of a mechanic first.

I was thinking of making my character as being a guy who has a lot of artistic talent who wants to move to New York or San Fransisco to follow his dreams. But Pa is a WWII veteran who thinks that "Real Men" don't get involved with that kind of thing "Real Men" do an honest day's work. If it is a REALLY small town, not sure what other jobs for "Real Men" would be around, aside from the School's Football Coach\Gym Instructor.

I just had a sudden mental flash, - The Breakfast Club '55  ;D

Blinkin

"Real Men's Work," for the time period, indeed for most of the pre-21st century was more an idea of a steady and reliable income rather than physical activity. "Real" work could be any of the trades, farming, dock-working, ware-house working, operating vehicles, even being a doctor or a lawyer. A stock clerk at Woolworths would fall under "Real Man" work as it meets the requirement of a steady income. Children, particularly male children, were raised and taught mainly to insure that they could provide for the eventual family that they would have. Women entered the artistic arena with little remark because they weren't expected to provide for children financially. Because the arts were not seen as having that reliable income requirement, it wasn't encouraged.

I might note that playing an instrument in a band was regarded more warmly mainly because big bands were still popular and could be seeen as reliabele income... while Acting was not.
"I am a Southern Gentleman, which means that I'm a rogue and a scoundrel. When I'm not kissin' the hands of married women, I'm slipping off their wedding rings."
My Ons' & offs'
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Blinkins' Thinkin's (Story Ideas)
Yes, I really am blind.
Being Literate is the ability to read and understand a language. When you ask for literate, what you are looking for is Verbosity, which is the ability to use lots of words without actually saying very much... like politicians. I consider myself both literate and verbose.

Ascia

Plus we're in the Midwest. Everything from construction to machine shop work to gun making. Again, we're in the Midwest.

Suburban prep? I'm thinking a girl who grew up in the tomboy/Nancy Drew mold, and in the last year or two has really start to come into her own as a young woman, embracing the more feminine side of things to the point where maybe people are talking football player dates and cheer practice in her future, even if the idea makes her uncomfortable since her self esteem hasn't caught up to her growing cup size yet.

Mother works at the nearby newspaper as a secretary, and uncredited reporter sometimes, who was a bomb girl during the war. Father will be a former law student turned former Army Air Corps bomber pilot turned lawyer with eyes on the local Judgeship in the future. So pressure from one parent, the father, to be more and more the all American girl (in no small part to help his own image in the community), and secretly under pressure from the other parent to dream whatever life she can dream of.

Oh, and she loves black leather and rock n' roll. Naturally. ^_^ Even if from afar so her father doesn't hurt her.

So, there you go. My basic concept I need to turn into a CS.

Orval Wintermute

It just that you said it was a very small town and I didn't want to go dropping a huge automobile factory into the middle of it  ;D
So I'm not sure what "Real Work" fits in with what you had in mind for the town,

Blinkin

The prep girl sounds fun.

Think a town of between 10-15,000 people. A mid-sized town, but not big enough to be a city. There can be some plant in the area, it is the mid-west afterall. What said factory is is anyone's guess. It can be a farm supply or it can be a tractor factory to just a distribution point. I'm not going to have fits if you drop something into it short of an air base or a mini-detroit... A sizable number of small towns spotted the landscape of PA all around Pitsburg and the other steel mill centers and commuting was common... so...

Again, the characters are high-school students and a part-time job is about all they'll manage at this point. What mom/dad does can be left somewhat vague if you want to think about it for a while... just no mayors or city councilmen please.

One father is working toward becoming a judge (county, I assume), but he's not there yet.

Hope this helps.
"I am a Southern Gentleman, which means that I'm a rogue and a scoundrel. When I'm not kissin' the hands of married women, I'm slipping off their wedding rings."
My Ons' & offs'
Absenses & Apologies (Updated 3/02/23)
Blinkins' Thinkin's (Story Ideas)
Yes, I really am blind.
Being Literate is the ability to read and understand a language. When you ask for literate, what you are looking for is Verbosity, which is the ability to use lots of words without actually saying very much... like politicians. I consider myself both literate and verbose.

Ascia

Quote from: Blinkin on July 02, 2013, 04:04:15 PM

One father is working toward becoming a judge (county, I assume), but he's not there yet.


Kinda steals the thunder of conflict if I have him already 'be there.' Where's the fun in that? =/

Well, sure, but a small machine shop...you're talking maybe six to twelve workers, including foreman.

And this is the age of highway construction, so I'm sure there's plenty of that going around.

Blinkin

In the golden age of the mid 50's, a small machine shop could supply the needs of any number of larger concerns. Most cars were still made by hand by men on an assembly line and a few power tools. Having come from a town of about the same size, although admittedly in the southeast instead of the mid-west, there's a surprising range of potential professions and options. There was a tractor plant just outside of town that emplyed a sizable number of locals as well as people who commuted in from surrounding towns. The closest city was just over 250,000 and was about 30 minutes away. Close enough to make trips possible, but far enough away to make it annoying to go. lol

So, have fun with it, be creative and you'll find that I'm pretty flexable.
"I am a Southern Gentleman, which means that I'm a rogue and a scoundrel. When I'm not kissin' the hands of married women, I'm slipping off their wedding rings."
My Ons' & offs'
Absenses & Apologies (Updated 3/02/23)
Blinkins' Thinkin's (Story Ideas)
Yes, I really am blind.
Being Literate is the ability to read and understand a language. When you ask for literate, what you are looking for is Verbosity, which is the ability to use lots of words without actually saying very much... like politicians. I consider myself both literate and verbose.