🎄🎄🎄🎄1965~ Christmas Holiday trip to Chicago, Illinois

Winter of 1965 my Dad, Uncle Harry, Vicki, and I traveled to Chicago, Illinois in a 1961 Green Plymouth.

I can still see my dad driving through Nashville, Tennessee. 

It was the Christmas holidays, everywhere we looked we saw twinkling lights, manger scenes, and homes beautifully decorated. 

A warm glowing feeling came over me as we passed through other smaller towns that was also beautifully decorated for the holidays.

The drive took about ten to twelve hours, there were not many direct highways or interstates from Florence, Alabama to Chicago, Illinois. 

I  don’t remember the route that we took, but I do remember going around a lot of curves and squealing tires. 

It was late at night everyone had fallen asleep except dad, who was doing the driving. 

We had come to a place called Turkey Run in Indiana,  it was an area known for lots of curves on the road. 

Dad came upon the curves too fast, the tires squealed as we started around the first curve. 

The sound of the squealing tires woke everyone up, we stayed awake for the rest of the trip. 

Early the next morning we crossed the Kingery Highway Cal-Sag Bridge into Cook County Illinois, I can still remember that awful smell of sewage as we crossed the bridge. 

Kingery Highway Cal-Sag Bridge (Copy from the Internet)

There was a song playing on the radio as we crossed the bridge into Chicago, 

“Five o’clock World” by the Vogues in 1965 a single, which reached #4 on the charts.

It is funny the things you remember from your childhood.

Aunt Betty lived in an apartment on the fourth floor, there were no elevators, we had to walk up and down four flights of stairs.

We had a great time visiting our cousins, their friends and playing cards on the stairway.

I can still hear the laughter of my cousin's friends Iggy, and Freddy as we played tag.

I had a kind of crush on Iggy. 

Our stay was a short dad and Harry had to get back to work.

My dad is an adventurous person, he never plans anything.

My dad can fix anything, he is a great mechanic, he never worries about his car breaking down when traveling.

I am adventurous like my dad, usually after a long winter, and spring is near I get the urge to travel. 

It doesn’t have to be a long trip but a trip it must be!

I am waiting for my next adventure.

Song by the Vogues

“Five o’clock World” by the Vogues in 1965 a single, which reached #4 on the charts.

Up every mornin’ just to keep a job

I must fight my way through the hustling mob

Sounds of the day poundin’ in my brain 

While another day goes down the drain (yeah, yeah, yeah)

But it’s a five o’clock world when the whistle blows

No one owns a piece of my time

And there’s a five o’clock me inside my  clothes

Thinkin’ that the world looks fine, yeah

(Scat:oh-de-lay-ee-ee, yeah, yeah)

Hey!

Tradin’ my time for the pay I get

Livin’ on money that I ain’t made yet

I’ve been goin’, tryin’ to make my way

While I live for the end of the day (yeah, yeah, yeah)

‘Cause it’s a five o’clock world when the whistle blows

No one owns a piece of my time

There’s a long-haired girl who waits, I know

To ease my troubled mind, yeah

(Scat:oh-de-lay-ee-ee, yeah)

Hey!

In the shelter of her arms, everything’s ok

When she talks, then the world goes slipping’ away

And I know the reason I can still go on 

When every other reason is gone, (yeah, yeah, yeah)

In my five o’clock world she waits for me

Nothing else matters at all

Cuz every time my baby smiles at me 

I know that’s it’s all worthwhile, yeah

(Scat:oh-de-lay-ee-ee, yeah)