My friend runs a precious metals shop, selling mostly gold and silver. I was there to discuss those very things when a pocket watch caught my eye. An Elgin.

My buddy sells a few watches, mostly Rolex. That’s what made the Elgin stand out.

“Never seen a pocket watch in your store,” I told him.

“It’s just for looks,” he said. “I bought them to scrap for the gold.”

I was taken aback. My father collected pocket watches, and I inherited them when he ...

There are many once-common aspects of the telephone that are now gone.

How many phones people had, etiquette for using one, how phones worked, the existence of telephone company operators, and phone service features.

Growing up in Ashdown, Arkansas, those I knew who had a phone usually just had one. People of means had an extension. Usually in the master bedroom.

Many families didn’t have a phone at all. A telephone was relatively expensive and monopolized by Ma Bell, who charged what she ...

One of the necessities of my youth is now one of your best bets to prevent vehicle theft: a stick shift.

I watch a lot of YouTube, and particularly a lot of videos of police chases and crime being foiled.

It would seem that today’s youth can easily be stopped from stealing your vehicle or carjacking you if your truck or car has a standard transmission.

There are several videos online of kids trying to commit grand theft auto. They hop in all ...

In some cultures, people wash the feet of guests who arrive at their home. At my parents’ house, I didn’t wash the feet of guests, but I did offer to shine their shoes.

And a surprising number of guests accepted.

When I was in Cub Scouts, we were able to select projects that, when completed, went toward credit for badges. Badges are how you advance in Scouts.

At some point, my dad found an old shoeshine kit, bought it, and gave it to ...