New Novel Inspired By Actual Events Growing Up

My new book is a novel called Dreaming Big- Ambition and Aspiration in 1970s Upstate New York. It is a fictional account inspired by an actual event.

You may recall a column in this space about a year ago about my dad, grandfather, and uncle working away from home on a big construction project too far away for a daily commute.

For most of the construction season, they shared an apartment and would come home to their families every weekend.

The novel also examines the perspectives of the 1960s and 70s from the then Governor of New York Nelson Rockefeller and an up-and-coming state legislator who would eventually ascend to the Lieutenant Governor’s office.

But at a basic level, this is the story about a family coping with uncertain economic times, the strength of supportive relatives, and the hope for a better future. Here’s a preview:

After the grandparents left, Al tucked the boys in and started getting ready for bed. Greta remained in the kitchen to prepare Al’s lunch pail for his Monday midday meal.

Fixing up the lunch pail, as Greta often referred to as the chore, was a special task that she looked forward to doing. To her, it was much more than just making a sandwich and packing it in along with some cookies and a piece of fruit.

It was much more than something she did based on gender roles of the time. It was an act of affection for her spouse and of appreciation for what he did for a living as well as the sacrifices he made for his family.

It began with the aluminum lunch pail Al bought shortly after starting construction work back in the 1950s. It had a plastic handle, attached to the top of the container with metal loops that were riveted into the metal.

The top was curved so that a thermos bottle containing hot coffee could be stored. A firm wire holder kept the bottle in place so that it would not fall into the lower compartment where the food was packed.

The coffee would go in after it was brewed in the morning so that it would be as fresh as possible.

The family percolator was all ready for action the night before with the ground coffee and cold water already in the electric appliance. All Al had to do when he got up was plug the percolator in the wall socket.

The coffee pot was started ahead of time so that it could brew while Al shaved in the nearby bathroom. The soft popping sound of water flowing over the coffee grounds could be heard while the aroma from the fresh beverage began to take over the downstairs of their two-story home.

The water was visible through the glass bulb on top of the coffee pot lid. As the water transformed from clear to dark brown, the process would come to an end.

In the lower section of the lunch pail, Greta would place a sandwich, usually peanut butter and jelly as kept it fresh in the non-refrigerated container.

She would pack at least three cookies next to the sandwich. Al told her one time that he usually ate two of the cookies during lunch, and then kept the third one for a mid-afternoon break. The food items were wrapped in wax paper to maintain freshness.

Along with those two items, Greta would pack a piece of fresh fruit to complete the process.

Most of the time that fruit would be an apple as they were plentiful in upstate grocery stores, fruit stands, and even fresh from the trees at nearby orchards during the fall harvest season.

All of the items were made to fit the available space. If there was extra room, Greta might toss in a small chocolate bar or a couple of butterscotch hard candies.

All of it came together like clockwork every night before a working day.

For her, fixing the lunch pail was a combination of engineering wizardry (finding room for everything she wanted Al to have for his meal) and a shared journey toward building a better life.

She knew Al appreciated all she did to keep the house running. The fixing of the lunch pail was the denouement: the final part of this special activity.

All the preparations for living away from home were complete. Everything was ready for Al to leave the house for work.

Steve Newvine grew up in upstate New York.

He and his wife moved to Merced in 2006. His novel Dreaming Big is available now on Lulu.com and will soon be available at Barnes and Noble .com and at Amazon.

Steve thanks the members of the Merced Women’s Club for inviting him to speak at their fall meeting held at their clubhouse on 22nd Street. He’s available to speak for other civic clubs. You may reach him at SteveNewvine@sbcglobal.net