Grandfather and Current Events
One evening a grandson was talking to his
grandfather about current events. The
grandson asked his grandfather what he thought about the shootings at schools, the
computer age, and just things in general.
The granddad replied, "Well, let me
think a minute, I was born, before television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen
foods, Xerox, contact lenses, Frisbees and the pill.
There was no radar, credit cards, laser
beams or ball-point pens.
Man had not invented pantyhose, air
conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers, and the clothes were hung out to dry
in the fresh air and man hadn't yet walked on the moon.
Your grandmother and I got married
first-and then lived together.
Every family had a father and a mother.
Until I was 25, I called every man older
than I, "Sir" -and after turned 25, I still called policemen and
every man with a title, "Sir."
We were before gay-rights, computer
dating, dual careers, daycare centers, and group therapy.
The Ten Commandments, good judgment, and
common sense governed our lives. We were taught to know the difference between
right and wrong and to stand up and take responsibility for our actions.
Serving your country was a privilege;
living in this country was a bigger privilege.
We thought fast food was what people 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.
Time-sharing meant time the family spent
together in the evenings and weekends, not purchasing condominiums.
We never heard of FM radios, tape decks,
CDs, electric typewriters, yogurt, or guys wearing earrings.
We listened to the Big Bands, Jack Benny,
and the President's speeches on our radios.
And 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 Hut, McDonald's, and instant coffee
were unheard of.
We had 5 & 10-cent stores where you
could actually buy things for 5 and 10 cents. Ice cream cones, phone calls,
rides on a streetcar, 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 1 letter and 2
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, "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 to
actually believe that a lady needed a husband to have a baby.
No wonder people call us "old and
confused" and say there is a generation gap. ...and how old do you think I
am???
This man would be only 58 years old! And
in many respects, he must be from another planet.