IntheUnitedStatesMondayisthebeginningoftheworkweek;itisthedaymostAmericanslikeleast.ItisnotsurprisingthatdaytheylikemostisSaturday.Saturdayistheendoftheworkweek;itisthebeginningoftheweekend.Lifeisdifferentontheweekend.MostAmericanstakecareoftheirhouse,car,orgarden.Theygetuplateinthemorning.Theyenjoythefeelingthatthetimeseemstomovemoreslowly.Theweekisforthingsyouhavetodo,theweekendisforthingsyouwanttodo.Somepeoplemaygetinacardrivinginthecountry.Theyliketotakepartinasportsactivityoutdoors.AndonSaturdaynighttheymightgotoapubliceatingplaceormovie.Theideaoftheweekendisarecentinvention.In1870wealthypeoplebegantospeakofspendingweekendsinthecountryvisitingfriends.Formostpeople,however,theworkdaywassix-daylong.ItendedonSaturday.AutomobilemakerHenryFordwasthefirstmajoremployerintheUnitedStatestoestablishaworkweekoffivedays.Hedidthatin1926.HenryFordthoughtthatiftheworkingpeoplehadmorefreetimetheywouldspendmoremoneyanditwassomethinggoodfortheeconomy.By1940ithadbecomecommonformostAmericanstowork8hoursadayaweek.TodaythelivesofmostAmericansareorganizedthatway:5daysofworkorschoolfollowedby2daysofrest.FormanypeopleSaturdaynightisthehighpointoftheweekendandtheweek.Itisthenightforgoingoutorhavingfun.AnythingandeverythingcanhappenonSaturdaynight.Peoplegodancing,visitingfriendsandhavingparties.Theydrunktoomuchalcohol.Theygetkilledorkillotherpeople.Theysleep,watchtelevision,andsometimesfallinlove.Peopledothesethingsonothernightsoftheweektoo,buttheydothemmoreoftenandwithmoreemotionandpurposeonSaturdaynight.OnSaturdaynightmovietheatressellmoretickets.Itisalsothebiggestnightforplacesthatsellalcoholicdrinks.ThatisonereasonwhySaturdaynightwitnessesmostmurders,fightsanddeadlycaraccidents.InatowninIndianathereisaSaturdaynightcustomcalled“cruising”.Cruisingmeanstospendtheeveningdrivingyourcarslowlyupanddownthetownsmainstreet.Peoplewhoarecruisingtalkfromcartocar.Theyexchangegreetings,jokesandfriendlyinsults.Cruisingismostpopularinsmalltownswherethereisnotmuchelsetodo.ManypeoplespendtheSaturdaynightathomewithfriends.Theyhavedinnertogether.Perhapstheywatchamovieonavideocassetterecorder.Otherpeoplegoonadate.Peopleonadatemightgotoapublicconcert,yettheyonlytalktoeachother.Isthereanythingpeopledonotlikeabouttheweekend?Astudyof1000Americansfoundthathalfwouldgladlytradeapaidworkdayforanextradayoffreetime.Theonlythingwrongwiththeweekend,theythink,isthatitdoesnotlastlonger.