The average cost of a new house was about $12,650. The standard wage was about $4,400 a year—roughly 84 bucks a week. A loaf of bread cost 22 cents, a gallon of gas, 30 cents. Cars were large and shiny, with big fins, happily guzzling all that cheap gas. A failing car company called Studebaker was the first to offer new devices called seat belts as standard vehicle equipment. The U.S. Postal Service introduced its own new idea: zip codes. Beatlemania had not yet hit America. Billboard’s top song for ’63 was a cheery balled called “Dominique,” recorded by a habitual musician known as “The
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