Well, Halloween is just around the corner, and one better start getting ready a big supply of treats for the little kids, and I mean “little” — not those kids who are not of late elementary school age.

We have always enjoyed little kids and their cute costumes.

Boy, things have sure changed since I was a youngster in the 1930s.

In those days we went around our own neighborhood, or not too far from it.

We were glad to get an apple or a homemade popcorn ball, or maybe a piece of homemade fudge.

We had no worry of eating anything like that back then.

Over times, things have sure changed. Now we see cars from Lord only knows where pulling up and letting five or six kids get out and run to our door, then across the street to our neighbor.

We have had more than 100 kids, even close to 150 over the years.

Recently I saw a picture of a pot-bellied stove. The article said these stoves made of heavy cast iron were often used in railroad depots (shades of P.D. Beckwith, huh?).

A word not to forget: coal scuttle.

On our trip up north a few weeks ago, I saw something I can’t ever remember seeing in all the times I’ve crossed the Big Mac bridge.

Some poor fellow either had a car that quit running or had a flat tire right in the middle part of the bridge.

I remember Vern Murphy was coming back home across the bridge with his big motor home and it was real windy. The wind blew his roll-up awning over the top of the motor home.

I said what did you do, Vern, and he said I just kept driving.

Remember how folks used to charge their groceries at our small mom and pop grocery stores years ago and then pay the bill on payday or maybe once a month?

Some folks called this “buying on tick.”

I still charge our groceries, but it’s on my Visa card.

I bet not very many folks who buy their first home move into it debt-free and clear, do they?

Here is a saying to keep in mind. “If a task is once begun, never leave it ’til it’s done. Be the labor great or small, do it right or not at all!”

“Cardinal Charlie” Gill writes a nostalgic weekly column about growing up in the Grand Old City. E-mail him at cardinalcharlie@hotmail.com.