Charles’ 
Slide of the Week: July 20th, 2006
The Kiss, Somewhere, USA, 1958
Half open Venetian blinds reveal a dusk or dawn sky. Are Venetian blinds really from Venice? Funny, I never thought to ask myself that question before. The answer is yes! Thank you Italy!
But this slide isn’t about Venetian blinds. Oh no! It’s not even about the warm and inviting honey blond wood paneling, dainty doilies, yellow daisies on black, hand held hankies, mod curtains or the gold anodized aluminum bullet lamp pointing to the curved ceiling above. Not even about the overwhelming fact that this is the interior of a trailer. No. This slide is about makin’ out with grandma!
I loved my grandmas. One was town and the other was country. There names were Geraldine and Kindzetta. Yes, I loved them but I don’t recall kissin’ them like this!
By the way, don’t you just love grandma names?
Here’s to trailer interiors, kissin’ grandmas and you!
Charles Phoenix
Los Angeles
July 2006
P.S. Upcoming AMERICANA THE BEAUTIFUL book signing/talk WHERE: 8 Ball - 3606 W. Magnolia, Burbank CA WHEN: Sunday July 30, 3 to 5pm
Sets this Slide belongs to:
People
24 Comments on “The Kiss, Somewhere, USA, 1958”
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July 21st, 2006 at 6:18 am
What a perv! Crazy kid most likley just doing it for the wow effect or the picture! Or she just gave him a new bike or American Flyer!!!
July 21st, 2006 at 6:57 am
this looks like it is the inside of an airstream…it is kkind of wierd..
i love getting these every week,thanks..
July 21st, 2006 at 7:35 am
Aunt Francis, left, is shocked — SHOCKED! — to discover that she’s not the only older relative that young Tommy has been playing tonsil-hockey with. Meanwhile, Betty, grandma’s neighbor from down the street, politely waits her turn with Tommy the Love Machine of the Geriatric Set.
(Okay, I think I just made myself a little bit sick…)
July 21st, 2006 at 8:17 am
THATS GROSS!
July 21st, 2006 at 9:18 am
Ahem. I do like enthusiasm in a young person. I am wondering, however, if this young man has channeled his enthusiasms in the wrong area. Or if he’s channeled his energy toward the wrong person. I am grateful that such a display has been left at home in the trailer, however. Imagine necking with granny at Howard Johnston’s! Quelle inappropriate.
I’m going to give Lil’ Casanova here a few rules to follow if he wishes to continue to wow his family AND the ladies. So, until Valentino, Jr. discovers the world outside his door, he might like to prepare himself for his future challenges. They aren’t all going to be as easy as grandma, after all.
A few words of wisdom from various etiquette books for kids and teens. I could not find a section on how to contain oneself from mauling granny.
_Manners To Grow On by Tina Lee_ (1955). From the section entitled, “How to Enjoy Your Home”:
“Being yourself is fine if that self is a pleasant one, but if it’s selfish, rude, and troublesome, it’s time for improvements. Home should be a happy place, and it can be if everyone does his part. Be cheerful about doing work around the house. Act promptly when asked to help. Be as pleasant to the members of your family as you are to your friends.”
Our Future Heartbreaker has this one down pat. He seems to be extremely pleasant and cheerful in the trailer! He could work on making the entire family comfortable, not just grandma.
_Your Manners Are Showing_ by Betty Betz (1946). From “Something for the Boys”:
“The wise guy who cares something about his P.A. (personal appearance) plans his wardrobe carefully instead of throwing things together like a rummage sale. You’re no Percypants if you are particularly particular about which tie you wear with what suit, so give your clothes combos a little more thought. Even though a girl may not rave about your “darling outfit,” she doesn’t miss a trick when she flicks her lashes over the view from the soles of your shoes to the top of your hatband.”
No Percypants here! Gray jackets, blue pants, a clean and sharp haircut. Look how the ladies already love him!
And finally, _The Emily Post Book of Etiquette for Young People_ (1967). “Family Secrets”:
“Every family has certain things it doesn’t wish discussed or even mentioned in public. It may be a financial matter, it may be about an illness, or it may be a personal relationship, but no one — parent or child — has any right to talk about these things to anyone. Even a best friend should not be trusted with information that has been labeled ‘top secret’ or about which a brother or sister has asked, ‘Please don’t tell.’”
Oh dear. He’d have this one down if this tender moment hadn’t been memorialized on film. No matter! Lots of time to work on keeping secrets! Ladies love discretion, gentlemen. I can’t emphasize that enough.
Well, I’ve done my best with Mini Marlon Brando. I can only give so much help. I wish him good luck in the future and I do hope that Looking Away In Order to Avoid the Awful Truth in the yellow flowered dress will feel better soon. It’s a phase, darling, I’m sure of it.
xoxo!
Miss Sharon
July 21st, 2006 at 9:40 am
Making out with grandma is always fun - especially in a trailer. This image was taken from inside a trailer, don’t you think? The window behind Harold and Maude has that tell-tale angle that suggests this was someone’s home on wheels. Nice curtains.
July 21st, 2006 at 10:18 am
Oh my goodness. So many things one can say about this… Perhaps little Bobby is into the elders, ya know? Notice the disapproval on Grandma Far-left’s face?
In a word, twisted.
Charles, you rock.
July 21st, 2006 at 11:03 am
OMG I so remember once asking my Grandma to “let’s kiss for a long time like they do on soap operas”! THANKFULLY, she never let that happen - of course I didn’t realize that the whole long-time kissing thing was not something you didn’t do with your Grandma!
And yes, Grandma names are great! Mine were Bonnie (town) and Ophelia (country). It’ll be fun to see all of the Grandma Tiffanys and Granny LaQuintas in 30 years or so!
July 21st, 2006 at 1:49 pm
It is my belief that this great slice of American folk ways took place in a trailer park in the deep south–where the young ones learn about life early. The women folk of his family have taken the responsibility of teaching him the “facts of life”. This may be his final exams, before being sent out to find a girlfriend/ future wife. Frankly, grandma looks like she’s enjoying this a bit too much!!!
July 21st, 2006 at 1:58 pm
I never knew mentholatum could be such a turn-on! That’s fantastic!!! I really like how they so-sweetly have their arms wrapped around each other. He found his “grandma-of-choice” and he’s not letting go! Her many buttons are deceptively innocent!!
July 21st, 2006 at 5:03 pm
downright kinky…
July 21st, 2006 at 5:04 pm
I’ll bet dollars to doughnuts that’s how little Bobby saw kissing being done when he went to the matinee one Saturday afternoon at the moviehouse downtown……..he’s imagining some 1950’s babe - who could he be seeing behind his closed eyelids??????
Don’t you dare say Rock Hudson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep ‘em coming Charles!
Cathy
July 21st, 2006 at 5:24 pm
Although they did find it disturbing, Aunt Jewel and Aunt Ruby just looked the other way.
July 21st, 2006 at 6:49 pm
Well,We all had a relative who was a pincher at those old family functions(Most of us) No matter where you ran,they always seemed to outflank you.After a Good dose of Aunt Edna’s Razorburn,you can be sure that this will be little Thom’s last kiss with a relative!This pic must of been great blackmail when he brought home dates after becoming a rebelious Teenager.LOL
July 22nd, 2006 at 9:08 am
receiving yr slide of the week is always a highlight of my week, so i decided to celebrate this week’s slide by turning on a song i just discovered two days ago, “pasties and a g-string” by tom waits, to enjoy yr clever commentary on lovely little kitsch-pics.
i love it!
July 24th, 2006 at 8:41 am
You know what’s funny, that kid actually looks like me at that age. Fortunately, none of the adults in the photo are familiar!
I’ll add my grandmothers’ names to the discussion: Ethyl and Edna.
July 24th, 2006 at 2:24 pm
I just knew the comments on this one would be a riot. I always found it somewhat disturbing that my paternal grandpa always honed in straight for the lips when saying good-bye.
July 27th, 2006 at 12:46 am
I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.
July 27th, 2006 at 8:24 am
Charles,
You’ve taken a sweet, tender, innocent moment between a young boy and his grandma and turned it into something sick and disgusting!
I love that about you!
July 28th, 2006 at 10:32 am
I was reading through the comments again (so funny) and just had to hear the Tom Waits song that Daniel mentioned, so I went and “got” it….NAUGHTY!!!! I love it! It DOES go well as a soundtrack to this picture, I must agree. Good one, Daniel!
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Odetta, Hazel and Connie were little Tommys favorite Sunday school teachers. He was always generously rewarded for each memorized bible verse. Who ever thought forgetting your underwear on Baptism day could make you so gosh darn popular?
June 24th, 2007 at 5:23 am
OMG, this is what started it all for me . I stumbled on this site doing a search for a pic of venetian blinds for a painting i was working on.
This picture is going out to all my friends ( with the same warped sense of humor.)
My grandmas were Florence and Letha Bell.
February 4th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
I was reading through the comments again (so funny) and just had to hear the Tom Waits song that Daniel mentioned, so I went and “got” it….NAUGHTY!!!! I love it! It DOES go well as a soundtrack to this picture, I must agree. Good one, Daniel!
February 11th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Nothing perverted here.
This little boy ADORED his GRANDMA!
Love the photo!
Today everything is perverted or racist.