The Twelve O'clock Whistle

[Lloyd McKissick]

Was it Benny Goodman or Glenn Miller that did the song "The 5-o'clock whistle never blew"? The implication was that dad was still at work (& not at the bar) & hadn't come home for dinner.

I moved-in with my grandfather (my namesake) after my grandmother passed suddenly, and we got along famously (for 7-years, all through college and right up until I graduated, got married, & moved to Denver). He truly loved Glenn Miller and for evening drinks (& dinner) he'd fire up his Magnavox (or maybe RCA?) console unit and play his pile of WWII big band records. It'd be bourbon on the rocks while the steaks grilled and the 'taters were baking, & this would be playing in the background (in a tiny town in NW Pennsylvania).

This was one of his favorites. I inherited my 1st double from this man...

[ArtS]

We had a volunteer fire department that had a siren that could be heard all over town. No phone or radio links. Everyone came when it sounded. They also blew the noon whistle. I can still remember everyone pausing what they were doing to see if the signal continued (indicating a fire or emergency). If no further blast was forthcoming, everyone continued their conversation, work or whatever. It was like fifteen seconds on silence for the entire town at noon every day. People literally paused in mid sentence and them continued after the signal.

[Mike of the Mountain]

The song in this Bugs Bunny episode is what pops into my mind whenever a new post is on this thread!

https://youtu.be/OElik0JDwYA?feature=shared