In many ways TV resembles an earlier, kinder time in America than it does 2024.
Back in the day (1960s, far northern rural Minnesota) hitch hiking was a normal part of things. If you played high school sports, with practices held after school hours, you needed to pretty much find your own way home. For me it was 20 miles one way. Few kids had cars and few parents were available to transport, so if nothing else came available we just hit the road with our thumb out. It rarely took me more than an hour to get home. One time I rode my thumb home from Minneapolis in just over seven hours (the driving time was something like six).
An earlier post mentioned carrying jumper cables and a tow strap. As a former Minnesotan I still do that: old habits are hard to break. Not too far back (already here in TV) a woman visiting across the street came out to find her battery dead. I was doing yardwork and she came over to ask if I could recommend a towing service. I told her I had jumper cables and could probably get her going. She didn't know what "jumper cables" were but agreed, and got her going in a few minutes. I also told her to go straight to a garage w/o turning off the motor to ascertain what was wrong. She did, returning a couple of hours later w/a new battery, and very appreciative for my help.
That's the thing. For many in this day and age that is a rarity. But for many of us Villagers, coming of age when we did, it would be unthinkable NOT to do it.
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