A Funny Kirby Recollection

An old memory rose to the surface this morning. When I was a little boy my father was a minister. We were often invited to people’s homes for social visits or supper. I would inevitably sneak off to find their vacuum cleaner.

One time when we were visiting, I found an old Kirby in a spare bedroom closet. I was of course intrigued, and rolled it out. I was messing around with the switches and levers. I saw the large lever on the side of the machine. “Hmmmm…I wonder what this is for.”

It was the release lever for the trap door under the bag! I managed to pull it open but it was tight and difficult to turn back into locked position. I fumbled around trying to re-fasten it but then Mama started calling me. I left the latch askew and rolled the Kirby back into the closet.

Some days afterward, the lady was at our house chatting with Mama. She saw Mama’s bedraggled old Electrolux sitting in the living room and said, “Oh, you have an Electrolux. The other day when I was doing my cleaning, I plugged the vacuum in and it started up all by itself! The bottom flew open and dust spewed all over my living room! It took me all afternoon long to clean up the mess. Well, I told my husband right then and there we were getting a new vacuum cleaner. That Kirby was very old; we got it when we were married. He went to the phone and called the Electrolux man, who came over with a new machine. I really love it!”

Well…….if looks could have killed. Mama threw me an evil eye that would have frightened the devil himself. I didn’t say a word, but I know my trembling lower lip gave away my guilt. Later, after the lady had left, I paid for my sins at the end of Mama’s fly swatter…


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Post# 464094 6/24/2023 at 13:43 (327 days old) by electrolux137 (Los Angeles)
Checkrate/Likes 4 An old memory rose to the surface this morning. When I was a little boy my father was a minister. We were often invited to people’s homes for social visits or supper. I would inevitably sneak off to find their vacuum cleaner. One time when we were visiting, I found an old Kirby in a spare bedroom closet. I was of course intrigued, and rolled it out. I was messing around with the switches and levers. I saw the large lever on the side of the machine. “Hmmmm…I wonder what this is for.” It was the release lever for the trap door under the bag! I managed to pull it open but it was tight and difficult to turn back into locked position. I fumbled around trying to re-fasten it but then Mama started calling me. I left the latch askew and rolled the Kirby back into the closet. Some days afterward, the lady was at our house chatting with Mama. She saw Mama’s bedraggled old Electrolux sitting in the living room and said, “Oh, you have an Electrolux. The other day when I was doing my cleaning, I plugged the vacuum in and it started up all by itself! The bottom flew open and dust spewed all over my living room! It took me all afternoon long to clean up the mess. Well, I told my husband right then and there we were getting a new vacuum cleaner. That Kirby was very old; we got it when we were married. He went to the phone and called the Electrolux man, who came over with a new machine. I really love it!” Well…….if looks could have killed. Mama threw me an evil eye that would have frightened the devil himself. I didn’t say a word, but I know my trembling lower lip gave away my guilt. Later, after the lady had left, I paid for my sins at the end of Mama’s fly swatter…

Post# 464132 , Reply# 1 6/26/2023 at 20:17 (325 days old) by Centralvacs1928 (Chicagoland)
Checkrate/Likes *Lol!* Sounds like something I would have done. What model Electrolux would have been sold at the time? That's quite a change from an old Kirby to a brand-new Lux (with power nozzle, I assume)...

Post# 464139 , Reply# 2 6/26/2023 at 21:35 (325 days old) by electrolux137 (Los Angeles)
Checkrate/Likes 2 @Centralvacs1928 I don't know. This happened in 1962 or '63. So it was most likely a Model G. Mama had an E-Automatic. I remember that the Electrolux Man had a big station wagon chock-full of various models -- AF, S, R, G and maybe others, and lots of parts and hoses. He came by one day and tried to sell Mama a new Model G but she wouldn't bite. He then showed her the B7 polisher which she really liked since the new parsonage we moved to in Rocky Mount, Virginia in 1960 had all hardwood floors. But she said she couldn't afford it, so he sold her a demo model for a big discount. (The last I heard anything about it, my sister-in-law in Maryland still had it.) He took her E-A with him and fixed it up with new wheels, switch (the wrong kind btw...) and hose. Once I start remembering these stories they come back one right after another. "I should write a book."

Post# 464146 , Reply# 3 6/27/2023 at 09:13 (324 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)
Checkrate/Likes Great story! The Munsters would have appreciated that.. Interesting how the lady just got a new machine after that, not knowing how easy a 'fix' it would have been to make it run like usual again. No different than today I suppose, trash the vacuum when the bin/bag is full or it gets clogged somewhere. Any idea what model Kirby it was? I would personally like to hear more stories like this, if you have the time and desire. Or from anyone really!