Welcome Travelers - Filler' Up - Bathroom's In The Back

Cold Pop In The Ice Chest - Helen's Meatloaf On Special Inside - Thanks For Stoppin'

"Burma Shave"
An Introduction by the Artist 

On the morning of June 11, 1956, I bolted from my bed and slipped on my new jeans, pulled on a Washington Senators T-shirt, and laced up a spanking new pair of bright white low-cut Keds.  The smell of breakfast rose to the upstairs hallway as I dashed to the bathroom to go number one, wash up, brush my teeth and splash some Wildroot on my hair. After a few extra half turns with my comb the front wave was perfect. I stared at the results with a smile before launching myself off the top stair, touching only two of the oak planks on the way down before hitting the hall runner with a thud. Mom said, “My you seem ready to go,” and Dad winked as he slid three King Edward cigars into the pocket of his other light blue short sleeve shirt, Then, with his gentle command of “get something in your tummy before we leave”, I acknowledged his suggestion with a salute from my fork and started to scarf down a mouthful of scrambled eggs while spooning a glob of Welch’s grape jelly to smear on a piece of cold toast. 

With Dad at the wheel of our 1952 Ford wagon, Mom in charge of the AAA TripTik maps, Inky (our black Cocker Spaniel) trying to figure it all out, and yours truly bouncing up and down in the back seat, off we went. We left from 6231 Sligo Parkway in Green Meadows, a sleepy post-World War II neighborhood in West Hyattsville, Maryland. Dad beeped the horn and we waved goodbye to the guys playing a little morning basketball over on the court. With that the adventure officially started, and for nearly eleven weeks “The Nichols Family” went to see America.

The results from that trip and another in 1961 have in many ways shaped my life. The fine art photo lithograph print “Burma Shave” was created for those who experienced the innocence of America on a two-lane road.  “I did.”

Thank you for your patronage, 

Thomas O. Nichols

Press Proof and Artist Proof certificates receive the official United States Post Office Station Wagon Philatelic Stamp as shown above.

Collector Edition Print certificates receive the official United States Post Office Diner Philatelic Stamp as shown above.