In the sixties, cat clocks with a moving tail like this one were very popular. They hung on the walls of several of my friend's kitchens. Unfortunately, I can't remember what the McCracken household clock looked like, but I can tell you this, we didn't need a clock to know when it was 5:30, time for Dad to come home from work. There was a sure way to know that he would soon come in the door, a sign far more dependable than a clock.
You are probably guessing that the sign involved delicious aromas filtrating through the house. Well, yes, but not what I was thinking of. Could it be something about reminders to set the table for dinner? Uh, uh. Was that the time that Mom called the kids inside from playing in the yard with friends? Good try, actually all of those are true, but they were not the most telling sign that Dad would soon walk in the door. Give up?
When Mom scurried into the bathroom and put on lipstick, we knew that Dad would soon be home. Then she'd brush her hair and pinch her cheeks to add a little color and practice her smile in the mirror.
Sometimes kids wonder how their parents feel about each other. The McCracken kids knew that Mom loved Dad, the lipstick said it all.
