I was reading a book that was set in NYC in the 50's. It said that the kids loved to go to the department store to buy shoes because they got to use the x-ray machine. I was like what? Why would this book lie to me so blatantly? Up until this point it had depicted everything accurately. Why did they need x-ray machines to fit people for shoes?
I just looked it up & apparently it's true. There were about 10,000 of these machines in use. They were a big draw for kids, & understandably so. They could stick their feet into the machine to make sure that the new shoes fit properly. The things that people will do to sell shoes.The shoe x-ray machines remained in use until people discovered they were leaking radiation. Ever since we've just had to trudge across the store wearing one shoe to make sure that they fit. This is a great conversation stopper whether you're at a tea party or around poker tables. Did anyone else know about this & if so why didn't you tell me?
2 comments:
I never heard that one. I'll have to ask my mom about that. Although, she lived in areas that probably didn't have money for such fancy technology as x-ray machines. But I will be asking her!
I definitely remember these machines! I grew up in Minneapolis and, whenever my mother took me to buy shoes when I was in elementary school in the 1940s, I had to stick my feet into the x-ray machine. It's true! And it was fun!
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