4 thoughts on ““Living in the Ben Franklin Block””
Really enjoyed this, Liz. The home life description – the radio noise, the typewriter chatter, the dogs, etc- really resonated with me. Not because it particularly reminded me of my childhood home life, but it has a lovely and familiar autumnal evening feel to it. Perhaps something of the late sixties, early seventies that rings true to me. Unless I have misunderstood (which is likely), what was the list of school property the kids could destroy?
Nick.
Thanks, Nick! I’m so glad you enjoyed “Living in the Ben Franklin Block”! I don’t remember the entire list of school property it was possible for the kids to destroy, but it would have included desks, chairs, walls, the wall-mounted pay telephone, chalkboards, toilets, and wall-mounted sinks–the point being that by the principal’s providing a comprehensive list of what the kids were prohibited from destroying, he provided them with new ideas for destruction of property that they hadn’t yet thought of.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the story, Mark! Thank you for letting me know. Paperbacks don’t have that smell any more I wonder if it was cheap paper or cheap ink for books sold to schools.
Really enjoyed this, Liz. The home life description – the radio noise, the typewriter chatter, the dogs, etc- really resonated with me. Not because it particularly reminded me of my childhood home life, but it has a lovely and familiar autumnal evening feel to it. Perhaps something of the late sixties, early seventies that rings true to me. Unless I have misunderstood (which is likely), what was the list of school property the kids could destroy?
Nick.
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Thanks, Nick! I’m so glad you enjoyed “Living in the Ben Franklin Block”! I don’t remember the entire list of school property it was possible for the kids to destroy, but it would have included desks, chairs, walls, the wall-mounted pay telephone, chalkboards, toilets, and wall-mounted sinks–the point being that by the principal’s providing a comprehensive list of what the kids were prohibited from destroying, he provided them with new ideas for destruction of property that they hadn’t yet thought of.
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Loved this little story of real life. Yes, even the vomitty new book smell, they did have that odour, didn’t they?
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I’m so glad you enjoyed the story, Mark! Thank you for letting me know. Paperbacks don’t have that smell any more I wonder if it was cheap paper or cheap ink for books sold to schools.
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