StoryCorps: James and Doug Bost

From: StoryCorps
Series: StoryCorps
Length: 01:58

James Bost remembers his father, a salesman during the Great Depression, in an interview with his son Doug. Read the full description.

Piece Audio

Playing: StoryCorps: James and Doug Bost
From: StoryCorps

Bost_small The current financial crisis has been called the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. And it has brought back memories for 86-year-old James Bost (Bossed).

Bost's father worked as a truck salesman during those lean years. Recently, he told his son, Doug, about his memories of that time...

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Piece Description

The current financial crisis has been called the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. And it has brought back memories for 86-year-old James Bost (Bossed).

Bost's father worked as a truck salesman during those lean years. Recently, he told his son, Doug, about his memories of that time...

Broadcast History

NPR's Morning Edition 1.30.09

Transcript

JB: When I was nine-years-old, and that was about 1932, my dad was working twenty-four seven to make it. There were seven truck salesmen within my father's area or domain. And six of them we fired. There was only one left, and that was my father. And he busted himself to keep that job. And, that brought on a heart attack. He recovered and, uh, did something that still sticks with me. He went into the bank, and he said, 'I want to withdraw my money.' And, the teller gave him a hard time. They had windows with, uh, big iron bars, vertical bars. And my dad was, uh, he had a temper, he got so agitated and he took a hold of the bars. And he scared the teller, no question about it. And the teller brought his money to him. He put into a suitcase and he went into the backyard of the house where we lived. He dug a large hole about four feet deep and buried that suitcase. No one knew anything abou...
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