It's become commonplace for us old folks to 'brag' of things we did as a kid that kids today will probably never experience. Doesn't make us better, or our childhoods somehow exemplary - it simply means the time was special - in our own way.
I wonder, 65 or so years from now - say, in 2083 - old folks in that era will look back on things they did as a kid that kids of the 22nd Century will never perhaps get to experience.
This morning, as I awakened, it was one of those "OH THANK GOODNESS, THAT (a really real seeming dream) was just that - a dream.... so, as I so often do, I turned to yesteryear for instant comfort - to relive some times, things that were special to me...
Kids nowadays may never get to......
Proudly hold their wooden baseball bat purchased from Western Auto, but do so the wrong way, hitting off the end of the bat, cracking it. Running to Dad, maybe even Mom, who would get out the Elmer's glue.. take a screw (or two) and 'fix' the crack, then cover all that with electric tape - making it (almost) as good as new.
Pull the wagon fulla empty pop bottles to the Piggly Wiggly to get real money for their return. Then, head to the dime store to purchase heavenly sugar laced goodies... and, upon leaving the dime store, find your unpadlocked wagon just where ya left it.
Bite the end off, down every last particle of a pixie stick.
Make/wear homemade Halloween costumes. (I know, some creative parents may still do this - when we were punks, it was 'the way'.)
Ride one's bike across town, at age 9, with no parental worry. And occasionally allow your hound to run freely right beside you.
Have unwavering trust in one's little league coach, Scout leader, public school teacher, yada.
Say "Me too", meaning, you were the second one to admit to mom, dad, the neighbor lady, the teacher, principal when asked "Who did it?"
Glad this one won't happen into the future - but what fun it was to ride in the bed of a pickup truck back then.
Get that feeling when you were FINALLY excused from the dinner table so you could go....... do anything that didn't involve a handheld screen.
Fly a kite.
After the stuggle to pull in the wind resistant kite, you'd cut the string from the kite, attach a tin can to each end - and play 'walkie talkie' before walkie talkies were even invented.
Understand the meaning of "Go fly a kite."
Temporarily forget your friend's phone number, run to the phone book, problem solved.
Nervously place that one Valentine that was always the biggest, best, sweetest in the box, into an envelope, gulping, writing that name on it, sealing it up.. then gulping again when you saw the addressee open.
Feel that sting when mercurochrome was put on your cut/scraped elbow, knee, finger, yada.
Know the strength it took to comb one's hair after plastering it with Brillcreem.
How it feels, smells, to sleep on sheets dried on the clothesline.
How good it felt, and how automatic it was, to say "Yes ma'am" and "Yes sir." (Certain there are good parent/teachers who still continue this tradition though)..
Wear a white T-shirt with a magic markered # of your favorite player on it.
Before ultra competition set in, how much fun it was to start up a new sport when the season of the old one came to an end, and then the next one too. (And the admiration, respect you had for watching the First Place team get trophies.)
Climb the rope, ring the bell, burn your hands on the way down.
Have dad cutya a piece of rectangular plywood, then affix the skates your sister had outgrown to the bottom for the keenest skateboard ever.
Handwrite a letter.
Handwrite a note.
Chase a girl without having the foggiest idea what you would do if you in the unlikely event you ever caught her.
Discuss the World Series with your buddy atop the jungle gym.
Listen to a baseball game on the transistor radio with Grandpa on the front porch on a Summer night.
When stores were virtually shutdown due to the whole town being at the parade, the fireworks display, or the Friday night football game.
Down a cold mug of root beer, a grape Nehi or an orange Crush.
Sure, some things above kids will do into the future.. We won't be here in 2083, but it's hoped kids of today/tomorrow will be able to lovingly look back, remember, things passe' that kids of 2148 simply wouldn't understand, nor get he opportunity to experience.
Happy mems,
Love, Victurd
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