George Waller Interview 6/15/02

Interviewer: James S [JS], grandson
Interviewee: George Waller [GW]
Also present: Lisa S [LS] and Jenn M [JM], daughters;
Becky H [BH], sister

PART 2

JS: What kinds of food did you eat? Do you eat differently today?

GW: Lots of homemade food. and nowadays pre-processed foods.

LS: So what did this cook cook for you? What was she like?

BH: We lived in 3 different houses and at one time she did live with us, there was generally a child care person, and then a cook, and then sometimes someone came in ironed. Labor was so incredibly cheap.

LS: So you were supporting your local economy

BH: That's how we looked at it.

JS: Have you ever lived during a war?

GW: Yes. From 1967 to 1971 I worked at the Pentagon with the US Air Force.

JS: What do you remember most about it - about the war?

GW: Having lots of free time.

LS: How did you have lots of free time?

GW: We worked shifts. There were 2 days during the day, but they had enough people so you didn't have to go in most days. Then there were 2 midnight shifts during which you slept. Then there were 2 evening shifts where you actually had to work, and then you had 2 days off. So really you worked 2 days and had 6 days off.

JS: What was the best thing that ever happened to you?

GW: Taking this interview with my sweet little grandson.

JS: What are some of the biggest changes you've seen during your time?

GW: Television ...

LS: What was the first thing you ever see on TV?

BH: A test pattern.

GW: Computers. Space travel.

LS: You saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. You said they had really long hair ...

JS: What was the most historical event you can remember during your lifetime?

GW: Kennedy's Assassination.

LS: Hey Jenn, did you know that Dad was almost sent to Vietnam?

GW: Twice.

JM: Yup!

LS: Was I the only one who didn't know this?

JM: Yup!

GW: I'd say the assassination of President Kennedy.

LS: Where were you?

GW: At school.

BH: We were in Connecticut.

LS: Westport?

GW: Yup, Staples high school.

JS: Did you listen to music? What kinds?

BH: Woah! Get out a couple of pieces of paper here!

GW: Elvis Presley. He's the King.

BH: I have a story for you on music. What was the first song the Beatles came out with. Was it I want to hold your hand?

GW: I think it was She Loves You.

BH: When that song first came on the radio, your dad said, these guys are going to be incredibly big!

LS: Ooo got any stock picks for us?

GW: No.

JS: The Beatles are dead now.

LS: No, one of them just got married!

JS: Ringo Starr.

LS: No, Sir Paul McCartney.

JS: Paul McCartney is evil, he sings hippy songs.

JM: We were sitting in a Marketing meeting with this newbie college hire guy, and the Marketing manager said, "you know some people are still saying 'you mean, Paul McCartney was in a band before Wings?'" and our little co-op guy said, "Wings?"

LS: So what did you listen to before the Beatles?

GW: Pop music.

LS: Like Frank Sinatra?

GW: Patty Page. We lived in the south before rock and roll so we listened to a lot of southern type music. Hank Thompson.

JS: What did you listen to music on?

GW: Radio, television, American Bandstand.

LS: Did you have your own radio?

GW: I had my own radio.

LS: Did you play it loud and get yelled at by your parents?

GW: Yes.

JM: When they switch to stereo?

GW: About 1961.

LS: Huge improvement in sound?

GW: I didn't notice a huge difference myself.

LS: Was that the am/fm switch when it went mono to stereo? I thought AM had no bass, the FM brought in bass.

GW: I don't know.

JS: How has technology changed? What is available now that you didn't have then?

GW: Computers and the Internet. Plastics.

LS: That's the answer to the universe!

JS: No, it's 42. There's a lot of things that are related to 42. Elvis Presley was 42 when he died.

JS: Have you seen any cures or treatments that weren't available when you were my age? Which ones?

GW: Polio.

LS: Is polio the iron lung one?

JM: Yes.

LS: People used to have to cure polio by putting them into iron lungs.

JM: The iron lung was lower pressure to help them to breathe.

LS: So it didn't cure them but it helped them from dying.

BH: But we also got completely rid of smallpox, until it was reintroduced.

LS: Wasn't malaria really bad?

[tape went to side 2]

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

The George Pages

Lisa's Genealogy Pages