Sunday, March 31, 2013

Dougie the Dodge Pas Deux

Hey look, there's Dougie! I don't think I told you that my dad's name is Doug. So that's where Dougie the Dodge's name comes from. My dad never owned a truck, not to my knowledge anyways, but I'm sure he would have liked to!  Back in the day when my dad was driving us around we always had cars, BIG cars. And by big I mean with tailfins like these...
In fact, the red and white job, 3rd one down, is very much like one we had, same colours, though by the time we had it it was about 10 years out of date. We needed a large car to tote the seven of us around, if we'd had a pickup truck then all of us kids would have been rattling around in the bed of the truck. Now, hillbillies we weren't, pretty close though, we just didn't have any HILLS! 

That red and white number was the car I fell out of one time. Yes, we were driving up our street, Washington Ave., to drop in to my aunt and uncle's house, just me and dad.  These were the days before seat belts, and I guess my door wasn't properly latched. Anyhoo I can still remember (and we're talking over 50 years ago kids) my shock at the door swinging open and me tumbling out onto the gravel at the side of the street! I don't remember crying, I was more stunned than hurt, though I do remember Aunt Ruth picking the gravel out of my knees and slapping on a couple of bandaids. The thing that saved me I'm sure was the fact that my dad was driving about 5 miles per hour!!

Nowadays I probably would have been taken to an emergency room. But 50 years ago our mothers just slapped on some bright orange mercurochrome and a bandaid and then shoved us outside again. Remember that stuff? I sure hope it didn't actually contain mercury!!

Oh Lord... it did...here's what Wikipedia has to say on the subject...


Merbromin (marketed as MercurochromeMerbromineSodium mercuresceinAsceptichromeSupercromeBrocaseptand Cinfacromin) is a topical antiseptic used for minor cuts and scrapes. Merbromin is an organomercuric disodium saltcompound and a fluorescein. It is readily available in most countries, but because of its mercury content, it is no longer sold in the United States, Germany, or France.[citation needed]
(Hmmmmm is it still used in Canada I wonder? Or is Canada just included in the 
United States???)
It was known throughout the Southern United States as "monkey blood." (Oh really??)
Uses
Merbromin's best-known use is as a topical antiseptic. When applied on a wound, it stains the skin bright red. In the United States, its use has been superseded by other agents (e.g., povidone iodinebenzalkonium chloridechloroxylenol). It is still an important antiseptic, particularly in poorer countries, due to its “unbelievably low cost”.[1]
Oh my goodness!! Did you read that last line?? Gee, I wonder why it is so cheap?? Because we're still unloading our stock on the POOR COUNTRIES??
Sorry, I got a little off topic there.... as I was saying I think my dad would approve of Dougie the Dodge. I also think he would have enjoyed having a pickup truck of his own, though I'm sure my mother would have had something to say about it! I can't see her in a pickup truck but maybe she just never had the chance!  Or she did, loved it and I just never knew about it. As I'm starting to ramble again I think I'll call it a day. Needless to say I'm enjoying Dougie the Dodge very much:)! 

9 comments:

  1. Scary!! The funny thing is that going less tot he doctor, we were way healthier than kids nowadays...

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  2. Mercury and low cost? Well I don't see how you can beat that!

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  3. No wonder we are all 'mad as hatters'!
    Jane x

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  4. Scary, isn't it? I thought I was just kidding about the mercury, but then thought I'd check, now I wish i hadn't!!

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  5. LOL! Quite the package deal!

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  6. You're right Lena! My mother always used to say that we would all eat a peck of dirt before we died. I know I had more than my share and I'm healthy as anything!

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  7. Those were the days. I bet you probably didn't cry, you seem pretty tough not like the delicate children today. My Dad also had a big car a Galaxy Ford 500 I don't remember much more about it. Are you getting use to driving Dougie? Parallel parking may be a little tricky at first but I guess we don't have to do much of that anymore. Hope you had a great Easter and the Easter bunny delivered some chocolate.

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  8. Yes, parking is the hardest part of driving Dougie - i look for "pull-throughs" as I call them in parking lots so I can drive straight out when I'm done. Or I back in using my huge side mirrors. It's getting easier!

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  9. I wondered where the name came from. We always name our vehicles after the people we bought them from (our latest is Timmy, so if you see the Toyota sales guy Tim...)

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