The Cardboard Fort...

H.S.Barney Co. in 1937

In my home town of Schenectady, New York, there were three substantial department stores -- The Carl Company, Wallace's Department Store, and the H.S. Barney Company.  This was in the 1940's.  There was full employment because of war production at both ALCO and General Electric.  All three stores had thriving toy departments, but the best of the three was Barney's.  Toys were on the fourth floor.  And Miss Mayer, the department manager, always ordered the right stuff.  We, the Mead children, loved to go visit Miss Mayer.

A similar cardboard fort

My brother Bill was about 6 years old when he saw the CARDBOARD FORT at the Barney's toy department.  It was close to Christmas.  He hinted to my parents about how much he needed that fort, but he couldn't be positive that they understood its importance.  Then he had his stroke of genius.  He'd buy the fort and give it to my mother for Christmas.  She wouldn't have the time to play with a fort.  She'd most certainly give it back to Bill with her thanks for such a lovely gift.  And thus was born the Mead Family Tradition of the CARDBOARD FORT.

Whenever someone in the family wanted something special for some occasion, we'd simply buy it for another family member.  They would express delight over their "cardboard fort!"

I had shared this story with Mary Ann not long ago.  Today, Lo and Behold, I received a cardboard fort from Goldie, my Golden Retriever, as a Father's Day gift!  I opened a large bag and retrieved a gun that launches tennis balls, then a bag of tennis balls, then a chew toy, then another, and then some smoked chew bones, and a large ball with a rope strung through it, and then some Greenie teeth cleaning snacks!  Just what I had hoped for -- my very own cardboard fort!

One really cool gift I received is a "Selfie Stick."  Here's a picture of my cardboard fort loot taken with the stick...