This is a fun couple. Meet Ruth and – I don’t know his first name, Ruth calls him Dear or Darling.
They are crazy, impulsive spenders – even though it’s the middle of the Depression (1934 to be precise). They are sort of the Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald of the maternity ward. What a thought. The Jazz Age is well and truly over, but Dear Darling just got a job with the New Deal, so it’s baby-shoppin’ time!
Baby Jim was the biggest, shiniest baby in the hospital, and they just had to have him. And now it’s time to start handing over the money for him. Babies don’t grow on trees, you know, and neither does money.
Too bad they didn’t just go out and get some stuff that does grow on trees: apples are good. Plums. Quite a few fruits, really. But that wasn’t fancy enough!
Alas, that New Deal job is about to go south, because of an Old Problem. If you have followed some of the other Lifebuoy soap operas on Kitchen Retro (and if not, you can check them out via the links at the end, hint hint) – then you can guess what this is: BO! Oh Ruth, why didn’t you tell him? How did you get up close enough to make that baby – oh, oh I see. That’s why they had to go out and buy one.
And once Darling started scrubbing with Lifebuoy, he got himself a raise. Boy, they must have been ecstatic down at the office. He comes swaggering home to brag: “Baby Jim’s All Paid For Now.” To which Ruth replies, “We’ll soon be on Easy Street.” That’s where they’ll be shopping for more stuff, no doubt. Don’t forget to put more soap on the shopping list.
How about the big picture, over on Ad Access? Here you go! And thank you Ad Access, this is a Lifebuoy classic.
More Lifebuoy drama? Why not:
Lifebuoy Meets World
The Old and the Odorous
Imitation of Lifebuoy
Three Heads Are Better Than One
Put the Blame on Jane
and the very year of my nativity. Born at home, but Dad said when he asked the Dr. what his charge was it was as though the Dr. looked right into his pocket and knew exactly how much Dad had, which was what he charged– five bucks.Lifebuoy? Lyesoap until I was ten years old.
I'm almost sure there's an Easy Street in my neighborhood. Wait, no I think it's Easy Circle, or Easy Cul-de-Sac.
Thank god for soap to guard us against B.O. danger!!
Woohoo! Now Ruth and Dear Darling can afford to get Baby Jim Darling a sister!
We sweat a quart a day? Maybe I should be wearing terrycloth.
vanilla – That was a very nice doctor!Eric – It is also the title of one of my favorite Chaplin films (from the 20s).Barbara – I know, it really does seem to be dangerous!Tori – They'll be shopping for one very soon now.Jennifer – If this is true we ought to carry Lifebuoy around with us!
You're telling me I sweat a QUART a day? That's disgusting. Thank goodness the Depression has ended and I can afford to have B.O.
Let us not ignore the last sentence in the ad…. "the scent vanishes as you rinse". Um… so, if the Lifebuoy fantastic marvelous creamy rich wonderful scent VANISHES as you rinse off in the shower, then aren't you left with… BO?