A Wescott Story titled "Hard Times"
Manteo, North Carolina

"One of the worst times was after World War II. Things were so hard to get, "Ab" Wescott, who was in the furniture business with his brothers, said that you couldn't get metal in any furniture right after the war. Also, if you wanted to build anything, you had to have a permit to get materials.

One time Ab promised a customer he would get a metal bedstead for her. He always tried to accomodate his customers. A year later when he still didn't have the bedstead, he took down his wife Irlene's bed while she was gone and sold it to the customer.

Another time he took the regulator from the top of their gas tank and sold it. Irlene couldn't cook or have any hot water. She said that she was so mad that she didn't remember how mad!"

Source: Betty W. Acker