I was talking to my Dad about current events the other night.
I asked him what he thought about the shootings at schools, our
immoral President, the computer age and just things in general."
He replied:
..."Gee, let me think a minute...................
I was born before television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods,
Xerox, contact lenses, Frisbees and the Pill. There weren't things like radar,
credit cards, laser beams or ball-point pens.
Man had not invented pantyhose, dishwashers, clothes dryers, electric
blankets, air conditioners and he hadn't walked on the moon.
Your Mom and I got married first-then lived together. Every family had
a father and a mother, and every kid over 14 had a rifle that his dad taught
him how to use and respect.
Until I was 25, I called every man older than me 'sir'; and after I turned
25, I still called policemen and every man with a title, 'sir.'
"In our time, closets were for clothes, not for 'coming out of.'
Sunday's were set aside for going to church as a family, helping those in
need, and just visiting with your neighbors.
We were before gay rights, computer dating, dual careers, day-care
centers, and group therapy.
"Our lives were governed by the Ten Commandments, good judgment and
common sense.
We were taught to know the difference between right and wrong, and to
stand up and take responsibility for your actions.
Serving your country was a privilege, living here was a bigger privilege.
"We thought fast food was what you ate during Lent.
Having a meaningful Relationship meant getting along with your cousins.
Draft dodgers were people who closed their front doors when the evening
breeze started.
And time sharing meant time the family spent together in the evenings
and weekends-not condominiums.
"We never heard of FM radio, tape decks, CD's, electric typewriters,
artificial hearts, word processors, yogurt or guys wearing ear rings.
We listened to the 'big bands', Jack Benny and the President's speeches
on the radio. I don't ever remember any kid blowing his brains out
listening to Tommy Dorsey.
"If you saw anything with 'Made in Japan' on it, it was junk.
The term 'making out' referred to how you did on your school exam.
Pizza's, McDonald's and instant coffee were unheard of.
We had 5 and 10 cent stores where you could actually buy things for 5
and 10 cents.
Ice cream cones, phone calls, rides on a street car, and a Pepsi were
all a nickel. And if you didn't want to 'splurge,' you could spend your
nickel on enough stamps to mail a letter and two postcards.
You could buy a new Chevy Coupe for $600, but who could afford one. Too
bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon.
In my day 'grass' was mowed, 'coke' was a cold drink, 'pot' was something
your mother cooked in, and 'rock music' was your grandmother's lullaby.
'Aids' were helpers in the Principal's office, a 'chip' meant a piece
of wood, 'hardware' was found in a hardware store and software wasn't even
a word."
And we were the last generation that was so dumb as to think you needed
a husband to have a baby.
No wonder people today call us old and confused, and there is such a
generation gap......and I'm only 53!!!"
