LOST IN THE FIFTIES

Last week's fun with technology left me pining for childhood days of a simpler life. Bert, Ricky and I played in the back yard with neighborhood kids until dark.

"Red Rover, Red Rover, send Ricky right over!"

"Hey! Let's play Blind Man's Bluff!"

I'd catch lightning bugs, pinch off their tails and stick them on my fingers to make "diamond rings." I remember playing jacks on the sidewalk in Norfolk, VA, watching my brothers burn ants and pop caps with a magnifying glass. Before PETA we never thought anything about burning ants or extinguishing fireflies to preserve their glow. Personal beauty always means sacrifice.

I was in love with Ricky Nelson and the Everly Brothers. All I have to do is dream.

Not all youthful dreams come true.

Some burst like balloons!

Some styles come and go. Then come back again! Like scarves and big sunglasses.

Doug was the first man I met on our college campus. It was NOT love at first sight. He looked like The Fonz, black leather jacket, riding the biggest Harley Davidson of the day. He wore black and white cowboy boots. Even had that little forehead curl (gone by this photo) to match his DA. He looked like a real cool 50's cat.

Only it was the mid 60's, retro was not yet in and I was not impressed. He couldn't afford a bike helmet so he wore a German infantry helmet from Goodwill and learned to ride that bike between Texas and Nashville, Tennessee! I met him as he landed on campus, still picking bugs outta his teeth. He'd traded in his cool car (red and white '56 Chevy) for the cycle. The preacher's kid needed cheap transportation to college.

That noisy Hog led to a new rule on campus the next year. No motorcycles for freshmen. Doug might dispute the reasons for that rule.

Not all of his cars were cool once college bills became part of life. By second semester I noticed he cleaned up well, sans boots and jacket. He might not be a hood (short for hoodlum then, not neighborhood) and had a great singing voice. I reconsidered.

I traded my childhood bangs for the flip.
And flip I did--for Doug Henderson. Four years later I got my BA on Thursday and my Mrs. on Sunday.

On a personal note to my hubby of 40 years: Happy birthday, my Love! I won't announce your age to the world like you did mine 2 years ago when I turned 60, even though we're the same age. Read the back story here: http://kathyhenderson.blogspot.com/2009/07/i-dont-think-youre-ugly-old-age-isnt.html

Someone sent me this poetic romp through Memory Lane. Enjoy the nostalgia of a simpler time before so much technology. For me, both eras have been

Blessings!

Kathy

A little house with three bedrooms, one bathroom and one car on the street. A mower that you had to push to make the grass look neat. In the kitchen on the wall we only had one phone, And no need for recording things, someone was always home. We only had a living room where we would congregate, Unless it was at mealtime in the kitchen where we ate. We had no need for family rooms or extra rooms to dine, When meeting as a family those two rooms would work out fine. We only had one TV set, and channels maybe two, But always there was one of them with something good to view. For snacks we had potato chips that tasted like a chip, And if you wanted flavor, there was Lipton's onion dip. Store-bought snacks were rare because my mother liked to cook, And nothing can compare to snacks in Betty Crocker's book. Weekends were for family trips or staying home to play, We all did things together -- even go to church to pray. When we did our weekend trips depending on the weather, No one stayed at home because we liked to be together. Sometimes we would separate to do things on our own, But we knew where the others were without cell phones. Then there were the movies with your favorite movie star, And nothing can compare to watching movies in your car. Then there were the picnics at the peak of summer season, Pack a lunch and find some trees and never need a reason. Get a baseball game together with all the friends you know, Have real action playing ball -- and no game video. Remember when the doctor used to be the family friend, And didn't need insurance or a lawyer to defend The way that he took care of you or what he had to do, Because he took an oath and strived to do the best for you. Remember going to the store and shopping casually, And when you went to pay for it you used your own money? Nothing that you had to swipe or punch in some amount, Remember when the cashier person had to really count? The milkman used to go from door to door, And it was just a few cents more than going to the store. There was a time when mailed letters came right to your door, Without a lot of junk mail ads sent out by every store. The mailman knew each house by name and knew where it was sent; There weren't big stacks of mail, addressed to "occupant." There was a time when just one glance was all that it would take, And you would know the kind of car, the model and the make. They didn't look like turtles trying to squeeze out every mile; They were streamlined, had "white walls" and "fins", and showed a lot of style. One time the music that you played whenever you would "jive", Was from a vinyl, big-holed record called a forty-five. The record player had a post to keep them all in line, And then the records would drop down and play one at a time. Oh sure, we had our problems then, just like we do today, And always we were striving, trying for a better way. Oh, the simple life we lived! I still recall the fun! We never had to explain a game like "Kick the can"...just kick the can and run! The boys stick baseball cards between their bicycle spokes. And for a nickel a little red machine would deliver a little bottled Coke. Life seemed so much easier, and slower, in some ways. While I love this new technology, I sure do miss those days. Time moves on ~ and so do we. Nothing ever stays the same. Still, ain't it fun to reminisce as we stroll down Memory Lane?