Remember When?

Let's go back......Close your eyes......And go back......
Before the Internet or the MAC
Before semi automatics and crack
Before chronic and indo
Before SEGA or Super Nintendo

Way back......
I'm talkin' bout hide and go seek at dusk.
Sittin' on the porch, Hot bread and butter.
The ice cream man, Eatin' a super dooper sandwich,
Red light, Green light.
Chocolate milk, Lunch tickets, Penny candy in a brown paper bag.

Playin' Pac-man in the corner store. Hopscotch, butterscotch, doubledutch, Jacks, kickball, dodgeball, y'all! Mother May I? Hula Hoops and Sunflower Seeds, Jolly Ranchers, blowpops, Mary Janes, Grape and Watermelon Now-Laters (what about "Alexander the grape," ("lemonheads") Running through the sprinkler (I can't get wet! All right, well don't wet my hair)...... The smell of the sun and lickin' salty lips......Wait......

Watchin' Saturday Morning cartoons, Fat Albert, Road Runner, He-Man, The Three Stooges, and Bugs, Catchin' lightnin' bugs in a jar, Playing sling shot. When around the corner seemed far away, And going downtown seemed like going somewhere. Bedtime, Climbing trees, A million mosquito bites and sticky fingers, Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians

Sittin' on the curb, Jumpin' down the steps, Jumpin' on the bed. Pillow fights Being tickled to death, Runnin' til you were out of breath, Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt, Being tired from playin'......

Remember that?
I ain't finished just yet......
Crowding around in a circle around the after school fight, then running when the teacher came. What about the girl that had the big bubbly hand writing?? Eating Kool-aid powder with sugar, Didn't that feel good...... just to go back and say, Yeah, I remember that! There's nothing like the good old days! They were good then, and they're good now when we think about them.

Remember when......
When there were two types of sneakers for girls and boys (Keds & PF Flyers) and the only time you wore them at school was for gym. When it took five minutes for the TV to warm up. When nearly everyone's mom was at home when the kids got there. When nobody owned a purebred dog. When a quarter was a decent allowance and another quarter a huge bonus. When you'd reach into a muddy gutter for a penny.

When girls neither dated nor kissed until late high school, if then.
When your mom wore nylons that came in two pieces.
When all of your male teachers wore neckties and female teachers had their hair done every day.
When you got your windshield cleaned, oil checked and gas pumped without asking, for free, every time.
And, you didn't pay for air.
And, you got trading stamps to boot!

When laundry detergent had free glasses, dishes or towels hidden inside the box. When any parent could discipline any kid, or feed him or use him to carry groceries and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it. When it was considered a great privilege to be taken out to dinner at a real restaurant with your parents.

When they threatened to keep kids back a grade if they failed....and did! When being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at home. Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of drive by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc. Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat!