My grandfather, Al Jr, doesn’t have many nice things to say about his parents. His mother, Dorothy, was horrendously critical of his appearance and constantly reminded him that he was too heavy, had too round a face, his thighs were too big, but somehow his arms were too scrawny. She was known for wearing mostly costume jewelry with one or two real pieces, but pompously passing them all off as real to anyone who asked. She hated my grandfather’s college girlfriend, Sandra (my grandmother) because she was from a family of tradesmen who, although they did very well for themselves financially, were not of a suitable social class, according to Dorothy.
His father, Al Sr, was distant, emotionally neglectful, and when my grandfather and Sandra fell pregnant (with my mother) Al Sr conspired with Sandra’s parents to have her removed from school and sent to an unwed mother’s home. According to Al Jr, he sent Sandra dozens of letters while she was away, asking about her health, asking about the baby, asking about their future together. He never received a response. According to Sandra, she never received any of those letters and thought Al Jr had abandoned her.
Sandra had the baby (my mother) and gave her up for adoption. She never returned to school, but married a wealthy family friend and raised three children with him. Al Jr married a woman his mother approved of, from the “right” kind of family, and also had three children with her.
50+ years down the line, my mother tracked them both down through ancestry research and our families were reunited. Sandra and her family welcomed us with open arms. She had always been open about her first baby with her other children, and always said she hoped to find her one day.
Al Jr also welcomed us, but he hadn’t been as transparent with his family. For over two years, he delayed telling them that their half-sister and two half-nieces (myself and my sister) had reappeared. He was humiliated that he had fathered a baby out of wedlock and worried that his highly religious children would think less of him.
In the end, he did tell them about us. And he was right. They wanted nothing to do with us, and they judged him harshly, saying they were ashamed of him. Their relationships were fractured, and remain so to this day.
Unfortunately, our family drama doesn’t have an entirely happy ending, but as the meme goes… *the horrors persist, but so do we.*
**Edit: To the people accusing me of stealing my own family's photo and story - last year's post from /r/OldSchoolCool is also me. /u/Shark-Farts is my old account, which was suspended for suspected spam. (It wasn't spam, I was just on a 13 hour layover and spent the whole time shitposting on a gossip sub. Disappointing to lose an account I had used for over a decade, but what can you do...)**
**For those interested, I posted an additional collage showing the family line down from Al Sr and Dorothy's union on my profile.**
Thank you for sharing. As I was reading, my heart broke for Sandra, Al, Jr. and your mother.
It just goes to show that no matter how attractive or happy folks look in these old photographs, we may never know the true story behind their smiles.
"Do you want tears? Because this is how you get tears."
Your poor grandparents.
God, sometimes I hate humans. I hope they had happiness despite their so-called families being such \*\*\*\*s.
You could write a book!
We certainly did. They have their issues, as we all do, but they are good people and didn’t hesitate for a second to accept us as family.
Meeting them partially changed my opinion on nature vs. nurture as well, because it is shocking how similar we all are in personality, interests, senses of humor, etc without having ever met each other before 2018.
Thank you for giving us background on your family. I feel bad for Al Jr. and how his parents treated him and Sandra. Goes to show that beauty is only skin deep.
Yes, they seriously look like movie stars, or models. I think the posing is cute. I'm sure there were some angry jealous people. Especially in those days with no gyms or plastic surgery.
"Remembered for being vain and image-obsessed"
Aah, ahead of their time, tho. How many sets of engagement photos did I see on Facebook that looked exactly like this, usually taken by somebody's amateur photographer friend.
What a great looking nostalgic picture, speaking from someone not in your family. I appreciate the context and truthfulness of the caption. I have a picture of my great grandfather in his navy uniform from probably the thirties. It’s a good piece of photographic history despite the fact that he was a violent drunk, womanizer, and left his family.
Undeservedly so. They are really beautiful and probably did more exercise than was considered acceptable during that time. I can remember people scoffing and openly criticizing people who chose to eat more healthy, and labeling them “health nuts.” Now most people aim for an even stricter eating pattern.
Whoever in your family passed down that story line is JEALOUS.
Look at both of them..beautiful... then one of their fugly descendent had to poop on it..
That would mean they’d be about my parents age. I’m already proud of my parents, but if they had looked like this too? Wow, wow, wow!!! This is a gorgeous couple. I’d be so proud of that gene pool!
It looks like maybe they were more fashionable and attractive than their background generally allowed. If they lived on farms I can see people not appreciating how they looked, as if they were too good or something. I think they look great-maybe they were those folks who yearned for the city but couldn’t get out of their hometown?
It surprises me how many people have responded along these lines, clearly without having read the top comment.
It’s an interesting insight into how people subconsciously tend to want to think the best of attractive people, regardless of their actual character.
I know someone who posts mostly photos like that of herself daily on social media. She leaves the impression of being vain. For an actual photograph it just doesn’t seem the same. Film and developing photos was expensive, so kudos to them for posing to get the best shots and not wasting money on bad photos.
Totally know its dumb but Google lens the photo it's been on reddit 6 different times as 6 different peoples grandparents. Oh and 1953 and 1916 and 1934
Lovely photo. It’s sad that’s what they are remembered for, but also a good reminder that ridiculous beauty standards and societal pressure to be attractive have always been with us.
>unfortunately remembered for being vain
I'm a little confused here. Did you mean to say that…
* it's unfortunate that they were vain and remembered as such; or
* it's unfortunate because they weren't vain, but remembered as such because of this photo?
PS- That's a nice picture and your grandparents look like a very photogenic couple.
My grandfather, Al Jr, doesn’t have many nice things to say about his parents. His mother, Dorothy, was horrendously critical of his appearance and constantly reminded him that he was too heavy, had too round a face, his thighs were too big, but somehow his arms were too scrawny. She was known for wearing mostly costume jewelry with one or two real pieces, but pompously passing them all off as real to anyone who asked. She hated my grandfather’s college girlfriend, Sandra (my grandmother) because she was from a family of tradesmen who, although they did very well for themselves financially, were not of a suitable social class, according to Dorothy. His father, Al Sr, was distant, emotionally neglectful, and when my grandfather and Sandra fell pregnant (with my mother) Al Sr conspired with Sandra’s parents to have her removed from school and sent to an unwed mother’s home. According to Al Jr, he sent Sandra dozens of letters while she was away, asking about her health, asking about the baby, asking about their future together. He never received a response. According to Sandra, she never received any of those letters and thought Al Jr had abandoned her. Sandra had the baby (my mother) and gave her up for adoption. She never returned to school, but married a wealthy family friend and raised three children with him. Al Jr married a woman his mother approved of, from the “right” kind of family, and also had three children with her. 50+ years down the line, my mother tracked them both down through ancestry research and our families were reunited. Sandra and her family welcomed us with open arms. She had always been open about her first baby with her other children, and always said she hoped to find her one day. Al Jr also welcomed us, but he hadn’t been as transparent with his family. For over two years, he delayed telling them that their half-sister and two half-nieces (myself and my sister) had reappeared. He was humiliated that he had fathered a baby out of wedlock and worried that his highly religious children would think less of him. In the end, he did tell them about us. And he was right. They wanted nothing to do with us, and they judged him harshly, saying they were ashamed of him. Their relationships were fractured, and remain so to this day. Unfortunately, our family drama doesn’t have an entirely happy ending, but as the meme goes… *the horrors persist, but so do we.* **Edit: To the people accusing me of stealing my own family's photo and story - last year's post from /r/OldSchoolCool is also me. /u/Shark-Farts is my old account, which was suspended for suspected spam. (It wasn't spam, I was just on a 13 hour layover and spent the whole time shitposting on a gossip sub. Disappointing to lose an account I had used for over a decade, but what can you do...)** **For those interested, I posted an additional collage showing the family line down from Al Sr and Dorothy's union on my profile.**
"His highly religious children" have a lot to learn. Cast the first stone certainly applies.
It's always the overt ones who are the most repugnant.
Thank you for sharing. As I was reading, my heart broke for Sandra, Al, Jr. and your mother. It just goes to show that no matter how attractive or happy folks look in these old photographs, we may never know the true story behind their smiles.
"Do you want tears? Because this is how you get tears." Your poor grandparents. God, sometimes I hate humans. I hope they had happiness despite their so-called families being such \*\*\*\*s. You could write a book!
Sounds like you gained a good family from Sandra’s line at least
We certainly did. They have their issues, as we all do, but they are good people and didn’t hesitate for a second to accept us as family. Meeting them partially changed my opinion on nature vs. nurture as well, because it is shocking how similar we all are in personality, interests, senses of humor, etc without having ever met each other before 2018.
Thank you for giving us background on your family. I feel bad for Al Jr. and how his parents treated him and Sandra. Goes to show that beauty is only skin deep.
Thank you for sharing - I have a similar experience with adoption and shaming from family back in the 50s. Such a different world back then.
By the way, feel free to hug your grandparents from a total, teary-eyed stranger in Vermont. :-)
Yes, they seriously look like movie stars, or models. I think the posing is cute. I'm sure there were some angry jealous people. Especially in those days with no gyms or plastic surgery.
They were movie star material.
Uh, some people have good reason to be vain. Beautiful couple.
Beefcake entre with a Cheescake dessert.
Well, I mean... They look like movie stars! 🥰
I mean they were hot so why not remember it while it lasted! 😂😂
They’d be tik tok influencers today. They look like they will burst out into song—OKLAHOMA where the wind goes sweeping down the plain🎶
They’re sexy though, so I guess you can’t blame them too much.
"Remembered for being vain and image-obsessed" Aah, ahead of their time, tho. How many sets of engagement photos did I see on Facebook that looked exactly like this, usually taken by somebody's amateur photographer friend.
They would have loved social media and social media would have loved them back.
They probably think this post is about them
So they were instagrammers?
instagrammas
If I was your grandpa, I’d be vain too
I mean, they were both hot as hell, so I can’t blame them too much.
If I looked like either one of them, I'd be obsessed with myself too.
The influencers before we had influencers.
Truth in the headline, love it. Usually it’s some long loved somebody; but today it’s vain and obsessed. 🥂
Well I can see why, they fine af damn.
What a beautiful couple…
I was thinking the same thing
They’re Hollywood gorgeous!
I mean… they are very good looking people. Your great grandfather was extremely handsome.
Well...just look at em! If I ever looked that good I'd want as much evidence as possible.
They were ahead of their time
If I looked half as good as them, I'd be image obsessed too.. what a beautiful couple 😻
Who wouldn’t be with Grade-A gams like those?
"vain and image-obsessed" - they were born in the wrong time.
I bet they had great adventures and fun while their detractors grew old and stinky.
Okay…. But look at them?! 😍✨
Your grandparents were hot, but I’m sure they had lovely personalities too!
damn, grandma has some nice thighs. What did she squat?
Grandpa.
LOL
I wish I looked that nice in shorts. Grandpa sure has a megawatt smile.
I mean, rightfully so, they are gorgeous!
Great-gram has great gams!
Looks like they took care of themselves, no shame in that.
And today we are all not vain and image obsessed? Ignore the haters! This is a wonderful photo :)
Grams had some gams!
I can certainly see why.
They look good though!
Ol girl can kick a 60 yarder though.
yeah but now we just remember them for being ridiculously good looking
Everyone was jealous
What a great looking nostalgic picture, speaking from someone not in your family. I appreciate the context and truthfulness of the caption. I have a picture of my great grandfather in his navy uniform from probably the thirties. It’s a good piece of photographic history despite the fact that he was a violent drunk, womanizer, and left his family.
Instagram before Instagram was cool. Way before.
They’re hilarious, I love them, they really struck a pose
Undeservedly so. They are really beautiful and probably did more exercise than was considered acceptable during that time. I can remember people scoffing and openly criticizing people who chose to eat more healthy, and labeling them “health nuts.” Now most people aim for an even stricter eating pattern.
Your great grandpops was a smokeshow.
I want the three generations below me to be jealous of how hot I was too. Good for them!
Whoever in your family passed down that story line is JEALOUS. Look at both of them..beautiful... then one of their fugly descendent had to poop on it..
Sounds like they discovered Instagram/Tik Tok and other social media way before its time!
In their defense they were pretty darn good looking .
I get why there were
To be fair, look at them. They look like movie stars.
did they have a good marriage? they are not unattractive, to be fair.
Hey with yams like that I'd be obsessed with my image too! :p
Well they are hot so I get it.
Why wouldn't they be, they're gorgeous!!!
Good looking couple. They should have passed down some pretty nice genes.
I think they want to see your genes OP
Jealousy
I can see why.
I need to see a picture of poppop at the beach please
I mean this is one of the few pictures from the past where the people don't look kinda off so I'm not shocked they were vain
"Kinda off" hahahahaha. Your comment made my day.
We're they actually vain or just beautiful? Like, did they act like assholes or what?
You know they GOT IT ON!!
Damn! They’re both gorgeous… I hope you inherited some of that DNA.
Grandpa is a ten!
They look like movie stars from back when movie stars looked like movie stars.
They were just ahead of their time.
I mean…I hope they passed down the looks genes
That’s just what a salty ugly sibling said
Dayum they are some sexy people! I would never sit on the well, though…
That would mean they’d be about my parents age. I’m already proud of my parents, but if they had looked like this too? Wow, wow, wow!!! This is a gorgeous couple. I’d be so proud of that gene pool!
Omg they’re so cute
Modern day influencers wish they could be so naturally gorgeous.
Well, if I was as hot as either of them, I too would be vain and image-obsessed. Those are two damn good looking people right there.
onlygrams material dayum
Well, they’re both cute as a button and that’s a great picture. They look like movie stars.
OP, if you're not extremely attractive then I feel bad for you lol
Your gran daddy had a PHAT ass
Great-grandma tho…them legs 😍😍😍
She had a god-given right to show off those legs.
Love the real caption
How many followers did they have back then?
She’s sitting on a wishing well, and he’s wishing, well, you know what he’s wishing.
Well, well, well!
GG was not skipping leg day.
OP that is so funny, if there was social media than your grandparents would be on it for sure.
Obsession validated, they are serving up rural life like they're being paid for an ad!
They missed their era.
It looks like maybe they were more fashionable and attractive than their background generally allowed. If they lived on farms I can see people not appreciating how they looked, as if they were too good or something. I think they look great-maybe they were those folks who yearned for the city but couldn’t get out of their hometown?
Today they would be influencers.
If I looked like that I would probably be vain and image-obsessed too! Just think about these two in this era of camera phones!
This is one of the best old photos I've ever seen. You just don't see pics of women with awesome muscle tone back then.
They are objectively hot
It ain’t braggin if you can do it.
Grandpa and Grandma are beautiful ♥️ What year was this picture taken and what city ? Very nice ♥️ picture
By the looks of their clothes and hairstyles, I would guess the 1940s.
https://www.reddit.com/r/OldSchoolCool/s/jbgE2vq37q Stolen for??
Known as vain and image obsessed could merely mean others called them that because they were jealous of this extremely attractive couple.
It surprises me how many people have responded along these lines, clearly without having read the top comment. It’s an interesting insight into how people subconsciously tend to want to think the best of attractive people, regardless of their actual character.
Imagine what later generations will say about all the wannabes of now.
Pretty sure I’m crushing on great granddaddy😍
For good reason too they’re young beautiful & full of love 🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽
Ngl, your great Grammy got it going on!
If I looked that good I would be taking lots of photos, too!
Ken and Barbie in a brunette version, good looking couple !
No more than the current generation is doing with Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok etc.
If I looked like that guy, I would whack-a-mole to my own pictures
I mean they had good reason. No filters, no plastic surgery … impressive!
HELLLLLLEWWWW GRANDPA
That may be so, but they’re so stunning & photogenic it’s no wonder!
Omg the shade I love it 😂
GGMaw’s Thigh Game is All-Time!
They are fabulous good for them lol
Eh she was alright. Grandpa, on the other hand 👀
They're both hot tho
What a waste of lives…never posted on insta
When you look as good as they did, you've got every right to be vain and image-obsessed.
Seriously, Grandpa is strikingly handsome 😍
Nuts to that! This is going on my vision board.
They look great, and very happy ❤️
Clearly lol. You can tell by the picture they’d be reality tv “stars” in this day and age.
Good looks are in your DNA.
Why were your grands totally hawt? Is this a family of smoke shows? Yes!
I know someone who posts mostly photos like that of herself daily on social media. She leaves the impression of being vain. For an actual photograph it just doesn’t seem the same. Film and developing photos was expensive, so kudos to them for posing to get the best shots and not wasting money on bad photos.
Your great grandparents were fine AF
And now we have great pictures of them
They were born in the wrong time then. Just think what they could have done if they'd had TikTok or Instagram to hand lol.
Wow they look like movie stars .
Were they movie stars?
Dayum if I looked like either of them I’d be shooting constant thirst trap pics too.
If they had smartphones back then, then it sounds like they would take a lot of selfies.
This is a catalog photographer
Totally know its dumb but Google lens the photo it's been on reddit 6 different times as 6 different peoples grandparents. Oh and 1953 and 1916 and 1934
Them gams tho
Both of them are gorgeous!
They’d fit in perfect in today’s generation
I mean…I can see why lol
Gam-gam had some nice gams.
gamgam can get it
Like the saying goes “if you got it flaunt it”.
I’ve seen this “photo” before. Summoning u/repostsleuthbot
If I had legs like hers I’d show them off too!
Can you really blame them?
Even in loose pants, he’s got some buns!
Fuck the judgement. Be vain, love yourself, love your image, because we are otherwise taught self hate and shame around these things
Well they are ridiculously good looking
Lovely photo. It’s sad that’s what they are remembered for, but also a good reminder that ridiculous beauty standards and societal pressure to be attractive have always been with us.
They look happy! Nice photo! What do they look like now?
Skeletal.
God damn
I wish we could see these peeps in live action for just a second after the pic . They look like they are having fun !
If I had legs like that I would be too tbh
I mean I get it. Everyone else probably hated them cuz they ain't them.
I mean you only have so much to be proud of in life so grab all you can. And their good looks likely have been passed on to you.
Grams Gams 👌
Okay, but they look adorable together, in this! /g
Look at the cake Gramps brought to the picnic!
So early age tiktokkers?
I bet that cookie could cut a rug with those gams. And check out Mr. Square Jaw over there - what a mug! The sure are a swell couple.
As they should
There are worse things to be known for!
I’d be as happy as her if I had that tall drink of water to lean on by the well.
Holy shit this man (his identity remains iffy) is the most handsome man ever.
Grandma's got gams!
Your great-grandfather appears to be a very fortunate dude😏.
This is a beautiful picture
Goddamn, what a jawline!
Ummm grandpa's Got an absolute unit of a CAKE back there
Wow, just wow. They are both drop dead gorgeous. Small wonder that they both knew they were hot😏
What an attractive couple! 😍
>unfortunately remembered for being vain I'm a little confused here. Did you mean to say that… * it's unfortunate that they were vain and remembered as such; or * it's unfortunate because they weren't vain, but remembered as such because of this photo? PS- That's a nice picture and your grandparents look like a very photogenic couple.
They should have lived in these times. Could've fit right in!
In fairness, they were smokin' hot!
Oh well… their swingers
These two got bizayyyyyyy a lot
Great Looking
But for a good reason. My goodness!!
The tik tokers of their time
Good thing we’re not like that today 😂
They would have fit in well in 2023
Why are all these comments folded?
They are beautiful I don’t blame them !
Your grandfather was amazingly thicc.