The 1940s - For all us Old Folks
We were born before television, before penicillin, before polio shots,
frozen food, Xerox, contact lenses, Frisbees, and the Pill.
We were born before radar, credit cards, split atoms, laser beams, and
ballpoint pens. Before panty hose, dishwashers, clothes dryers, electric
blankets, air conditioners, drip-dry clothes...and before man walked on
the moon.
We got married first and then lived together. How quaint can you be? In
our time, closets were for clothes, not for "coming out of". Bunnies
were small rabbits, and rabbits were not Volkswagons. Designer Jeans
were scheming girls named Jean, and having a meaningful relationship
meant getting along with your cousins.
We thought fast food was what you ate for Lent, and Outer Space was the
back of the Riviera Theater. We were before house husbands, computer
dating, dual careers and commuter marriages. We were before day-care
centers, group therapy and nursing homes. We never heard of FM radio,
tape decks, electronic typewriters, artificial hearts, word processors,
yogurt and guys wearing earrings. For us, time-sharing meant
togetherness...not computers and condominiums. A chip meant a piece of
wood. Hardware was hardware, software wasn't even a word.
Back then, "Made in Japan" meant junk, and the term "making out"
referred to how you did on your exam. Pizzas, and MacDonald's and
instant coffees were unheard of. We hit the scene where there were Five
and Dime storee, where you bought things for five and ten cents. Sanders
of Wilsons sold ice cream cones for a nickel or a dime. For one nickel
you could ride a street car, make a phone call, buy a Pepsi or enough
stamps to mail one letter and two postcards. You could buy a new Chevy
coupe for $600...but who could afford one? A pity too, because gas was
11 cents a gallon.
In our day, grass was mowed, COKE was a cold drink, and POT was
something you cooked in. ROCK MUSIC was a Grandma's lullaby and AIDS
were helpers in the principal's office. We were certainly NOT before the
difference between sexes was discovered, but we were surely before a sex
change. We made do with what we had. And we were the last generation
that was so dumb as to think you needed a husband to have a baby.
No wonder we are so confused and there is a generation gap today.
BUT, WE SURVIVED!!!! What better reason to celebrate?
We also made all those things we now have in our society and we made our
living from them...are we really better off today?
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