Chester Chatter: Drive-ins were for family time

By Ruthie Douglas
2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Some Saturdays, my mother would begin to pop popcorn, filling a big paper bag and adding butter and salt. It was a signal that my sister and I understood.

Later we would be going to the drive-in movies in Bellows Falls, one of my family’s favorite things to do. We girls filled the car with sweaters and blankets for the evening, when the weather cooled down. We were ready.

Getting to the drive-in well before the movie began, my sister and I would go to the playground to swing. Once the movie started, we’d begin to munch on our treats — and the world’s largest mosquitoes would begin to munch on us!

My mother had included for us girls some sodas and candy bars and repellent for those pesky mosquitoes. Two movies would always be shown: A family type movie and then one a bit more suited to adults. Soon after the second movie had begun, my sister and I would fall asleep.

After the last movie, we’d return home and Daddy would carry my sister and me up to bed.  Times would certainly change and Daddy could no longer carrying to sleeping girls up the stairs. Everyone loved movies back then and the drive-ins as well.

I hear that with the pandemic, drive-ins are making a comeback, which is a good thing.

Scene and heard

Fall is almost here and the leaves have begun to change color.

That darn stinker of a Jack Frost killed by coleuses on the patio on Friday night. The farm girl in me thought we would not get a frost.

Have you ever heard of Ruck-Up Inc. for veterans, which conducted a coin drop on the busy Route 103 in front of my home on Saturday? Due to traffic, I have a feeling it was a very successful fund-raiser.

We folks living in Chester are some darn lucky. Volunteers with Chester Townscape have kept our town beautiful with many flowers. And the Chester Helping Hands is now offering boxed dinners that are provided by local restaurants.  Beautiful flowers and delicious food. A great place to live is Chester.

Don’t forget the American Legion’s Flea and Craft Market that is being held this coming weekend — Sept. 26 and Sept. 27.