Safety Winners

 

July 12, 1967 Twin City News-Record

 

The policeman stopped his car right in front of my house that summer morning.  I was scared to death when he pulled up behind and stopped me.  But then I was so proud when I received my prize, the first thing I'd ever won- movie tickets for myself and my parents to any movie showing at the Brin or the Neenah Theater.  Evidently, I had used the proper hand signals on my Schwinn Stingray and proved to him that I did know a little something about bike safety.

Despite my parents' urging that we wait for some kid-oriented fare to arrive in town, the movie I picked was Up the Down Staircase at the Neenah, a "juvenile delinquents in an inner city high school" type of film so popular then, one with social issues, etc.  Those tickets were just burning a hole in my pocket and I knew if I didn't use them sooner than later, my 10 year old self would just bust.  You know how kids are.   

My parents begrudgingly went along with my choice but I don't remember being that pleased with it myself when all was said and done. (They were teaching me a lesson, although I didn't see that until later.)  It had to have made for a more enjoyable experience for my folks though.  Still, I hope Bonnie had more sense and waited until later in that year for Doctor Dolittle or The Jungle Book to come out!