Pumps' Perplexities

"The Breakstone Wooden Cheese Box".....Yes, once upon a time
cheese came in a wooden box....The brand that I am most
familiar was Breakstone Cheese.....In fact the brand name is
still in existence for many supermarket cheese products.....

During the '40s American cheese was sold by the pound in
a deli or dairy store....The block of cheese measured about
one foot long and was three and one-half inches square.....
The cheese arrived at the store in a 3/16 inch wooden box
imprinted with the brand name......And was wrapped
in waxed paper inside the box.....

When the grocer removed the cheese from the box, he would
throw it away.....Therefore it was very important to be friendly
with the grocer in order to salvage the box from the trash bin.....

These little boxes had many uses......They were great for storing
crayons and other small objects.....By cutting little slots in them
they were used in street marble games....A box with a 'salvaged
cover" and some tape made a child's 'safe deposit box'......

Eventually it became more cost efficient to place the wrapped
cheese in a cardboard or chip-paper box.......And there it has
stayed for some 50 year......Anyone see a good reusable
cigar box lately?.......Pumps