"Many of us "baby boomers" think of a Radio Flyer wagon as a toy, but as a 7 year old, born in 1952, I remember my Grandmother's Radio Flyer wagon as a means of earning income for her family, and supplying a service in her community. See, my Grandparents came to America via Ellis Island from Lebanon in the early 1920's and settled in Greenville South Carolina. My Grandparents were self-employed owning a small community grocery store. Back in "those days" vending machines were a rarity in the neighboring manufacturing plants. During the summers that I would spend with my Grandmother, I vividly remember her loading her Radio Flyer wagon with sodas, crackers, cakes, gum, etc., and twice a day visit these plants selling her wares to the local workers. My biggest joy was being the "driver" of her wagon, pulling the wagon behind me as we visited each business. I also remember that my Grandmothers bookkeeping was on the back of a piece of cardboard, where the workers would write their name, and the amount of their purchase, then on Friday after getting paid, they would settle their bill for the week. I took great joy in receiving my first Radio Flyer wagon, though it was "slightly used" from my Grandmothers traveling vending business, it was new to me and a joy to make believe that I had my own business, albeit just like Grandam's, with Red Flyer wagon and all!"
