BURMA SHAVE SIGNS

[Templar]

IN THE EARLY YEARS OF CARS THERE WERE NO BIG FREEWAYS JUST TWO LANE DIRT ROADS SO ADVERTISERS DECIDED TO PUT UP SIGNS ON BARNS, OUT BUILDINGS, FENCES OR ON POSTS RIGHT NEAR THE HIGHWAYS EDGE SO THEY COULD REACH THE DRIVERS OF THE TIMES---AS SPEEDS PICKED UP, ADVERTISERS MOVED TO BILL BOARDS AND SET THEM BACK OFF THE HIGHWAY SO AS PEOPLE WIZZED BY THEY COULD SEE THE SIGNS...........ONE COMPANY---THE BURMA SHAVE COMPANY----BEGAN TO PUT UP SIGNS WITH CUTE LITTLE POEMS---ONE STANZA PER SIGN AND5 SIGN S IN A ROW--THESE WERE SENT TO ME---I HOPE YOU LIKE THEM-------INCIDENTLY MOST OF THESE SIGNS HAVE BEEN BOUGHT OR STOLEN FROM THE FAMS AND NOW RESIDE IN BASEMENTS AND AREA COLLECTIBLE STORES..............

[Templar]

HERE IS ANOTHER SET

[Templar]

AND I LEAVE YOU WITH ONE I SAW MANY YEARS AGO....       FROM A GRAVE MARKER IN
                                                                                                                                  IN TOMBSTONE ARIZONA----------
HE WAS RIGHT DEAD RIGHT                                                                                               HERE LIES THE BODY
AS HE SPED ALONG,                                                                                                                 OF JOHN MOORE,
BUT NOW HE IS AS DEAD                                                                                                    SIX SHOTS FROM A PISTOL
AS IF HE WAS WRONG..........BURMA SHAVE                                    NOTHING MORE.................
                                                                                                              



IF YOU CAN THINK OF ANY MORE POST THEM PLEASE--------

[Goose]

Thanks for reminding me of those signs Joe. How well I remember them as a kid (and 5 other kids...8 in the car-3 people in front and 5 kids in the back) going from Chicago to Kalifornia on Rt 66 with my parents.....and the old canvas bag of water tied to the front bumper for drinking when thirsty. My dad actually got up to 102 MPH (spedometer reading) in Arizona. The ol' Nash even had an 'overdrive'. Air conditioning? Twern't such a thing.

[Templar]

I REMEMBER RIDNG ON THE OLD TWO LANE HIGHWAYS AND EVERY NOW AND THEN ONE IMPATIENT S.O.B. WOULD TRY TO PASS AND THE COLLISION WOULD PUT THE ENGINE IN THE FRONT SEAT---SO SEAT BELT---4 IN THE FRONT SEAT---BACK SEAT FILLED UP-----NOT A GOOD SIGHT.........I WAS THE OLDEST OF SEVEN AND MY DAD WOULD TAKE ALL OF US IN HIS 55 FORD TO THE LOAN COMPANY TO BORROW MONEY FOR CHRISTMAS---BOTH MY PARENTS SMOKED LIKE CHIMNEYS AND WE CROWDED 5 IN THE BACK SEAT--4 IN THE FRONT SEAT WITH ONE OF THE 4 ON MY MOM'S LAP AND THE BLUE HAZE FROM THE CIGARETTES FILLING THE INSIDE---OH THOSE WERE THE DAYS------WHEN THEY GOT TO THE LOAN COMPANY MY PARENTS WOULD LEAVE ME IN CHARGE WHILE THEY WENT IN AND SOLD THEIR SOULS----OF COURSE THE MOMENT THEY LEFT--MY SIBLINGS LOST THEIR MINDS AND JUMPED ON THE SEATS---SCREAMED---FOUGHT WITH EACH OTHER AND DARED ME TO HIT THEM------MY FATHER ALWAYS PAID OFF THE LOAN WHEN HE GOT HIS INCOME CHECK AND WE ALWAYS HAD A GREAT CHRISTMAS-----BUT THAT WAS A RIDE FROM HELL AND I CAN'T BELIEVE WE SURVIVED---THE OLD MAN DROVE SO FAST THAT I COULD NOT READ THE BURMA SIGNS---AND THE IN CAR SMOKE DID NOT HELP EITHER-----COUGH---COUGH----COUGH...............