Jools
Yes I remember the vacuum cashier system, as a kid it amazed me because
you couldn't see where your money was disappearing to
I remember other stores had that overhead wire tramway system , you hooked the container with the cash onto a trolley thing then pulled a rope , said cash would assisted by a spring go zooming the length of the shop to the cashiers
cabin eventually your change & receipt would come zooming back.
The Co-oP had a super system they had junction points which would send your container zooming off in another direction.
This brings me to the point of this post . As an inquisitive 7 year old out
shopping with my mom on Saturday afternoon in the Co-oP, Mom hands over cash cash , goes in container, container goes in trolley thing, rope is pulled container zooms off, I zoom off after container, container stops changes direction, I do same
Suddenly I get knocked to the floor by some man, he picks me up starts shaking me & shouting at me. Mom arrives asks him what the bl....y hell he thinks he is doing, man gives mother some abuse, moms wicker shopping basket delivers hefty blow to mans nether region, man is down on his knees, another man arrives
Says he's the floor manager wants to know whats going on, mom Say's this man attacked my little boy and was abusive to me, manager asks man (still on his knees)his story, man calls me an uncontrolled ruffian, mom's about to swing basket again, manager says madam I think we can settle this over a cup of tea lets go to the cafeteria. Over a pot of tea & scones manager explains other man is floorwalker (store detective) asks me why was I running so I told him I had seen all my moms money go in that container and wanted to know what happens to it.
He smiled and said to my mom "We close in another 10 minutes if you care to wait till the floor is clear I'll show him how it all works. And so we waited
He showed me how the cashier tramway worked , also that each of the cabins had a small lift that took the cash direct to cashier & accounts on the top floor
also how the lifts worked how if you pulled a handle a fire hose came out of the wall. All this took time so it was after 7 when we left which meant quarter to eight when we got home. More problems my dad was angry because we were late
he'd come home from the Baggies expecting his tea to be ready for 6 o'clock
and we'd come home after 7 thirty & mom still had to do the cooking
When mom explained what had happened his mood changed, he laughed his socks off, gave mom a 10 bob note to get fish chips & mushy peas for our tea
While mom was at the chippy he kept asking me "did she really floor him with her shopping basket"
Good old days? Fish chips & peas for 3 people five shillings & sixpence change out of ten bob.