The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-07-23
GLIM P S E
T III E p A S T
By CAROLYN LLOYD

observers for the Civil Defense
Ground Observer Corps, 1 was
reminded Of my feeble efforts as
an observer during World War
II. Though only yesterday as
history measures time, those
days seem far away now. The
observation tower, then located
between the M System and
Shorty Willis store has disap-
peared, and can't remember
whether it fell down or was torn
down. Anyhow, it was there that
observers sat in pairs to report
the kinds of planes that passed
over and the direction in which
they flew. Trying to be a good
citizen, l volunteered for duty.
but it is well that the safety of
the nation didn't depend upon
my performance. The truth is
that have no more sense of
direction than a two-year-old
unless the sun happens to be ris-
ing or setting and then it some
times seems to me to be strange
ly out of place. Something must
have been sadly lacking in the
method of geography instruction
when l was in the grades. I re-
member that the teacher placed
a map before the class and point
ed out North, South, East, and
West. That was easy; the trouble
is that the earth isn't flat like
the map. My second weakness as
an observer was an inability to
to distinguish one kind of plane
from another unless it flew
practically under my nose. AL
most any school boy can tell you
all about the different plane
models, but they grew up with
them-in my day we prided our
selves on being able to recognize
every model of automobiles on
the road.
Other experiences in war days
seem like dream too. So many
of us did things we didn't know
how to do but learned the best
way we could, like issuing ration
books, acting as air raid wardens,
learning First Aid. Perhaps in
many cases it is just as well that
we were never really put to the
test, but at least most people
tried to serve in some way. The
thing that seemed to bother most
people to the greatest extent was
rationing, though certainly no
one suffered greatly from it. The
scarcity of sugar seemed most
irritating, though it didn't bother
me, for my family used little.
Perversely enough, however, I
developed a longing for chocolate
candy bars, something ordinar-
lily indulge in about once a year.
Remember the efforts to stay on
the good side of the grocer, the
swapping of stamps, the attempts
to put pressure on the gasoline
rationing board? In retrospect it
all doesn't add up to a very
pretty picture.
The one thing that did bother
me great deal was transporta-
ton and I developed an intense
dislike for BUSES. Having been
brought up to believe that it was
rude to push, shove and kick
people in the shins, l was usually
the one left behind when the
bus pulled out with passengers
practically standing on top of
one another. If l did manage to
get on, / was always among
those standing. Once on an emer-
gency train trip. which dread
ed, l consoled myself with the
thought of enjoying the noun
tain scenery. Upon boarding the
train, l was damned in the door
of the ladies rest room and
allowed to move only upon
reaching my destination many
weary hours later.
Through it all, though, was the
consciousness of how blessed
this nation was. We were called
upon only to endure discomfort,
not to stand up and fight for our
lives or try to find a hiding place
as bombs rained from the sky.
My generation has lived through
two major wars and there is al
ways the possibility that it will
see another. Just for today,
though, it is nice to pretend that
all the world is as peaceful as
Belhaven on summer day, and
that we live in the Golden Age,
when, so the Greeks believed,
everybody loved everybody else
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