original version of Sixteen Tons was playing on the radio. My very religious grandmother was
scandalized by the lyrics but I kinda liked them. Still do!

We were living next door to my grandparents. I had to ask what a straw boss was. My grandmother was head of the department at a ladies store and had clerks working under her, so she was the example of the straw boss. And I had to wonder how you could die owing money to the company store.

on all this as a little one and get the answers.. Cute. It was really rough times for plenty of folks back then.