THINK ABOUT IT...Those of us who grew up is the 60’s probably shouldn’t have survived:
Our cribs were covered with lead-based paint which we chewed and licked.
We had no childproof caps on medicine bottles.
Cabinets had no latches since it was fine to play with pots and pans.
When we rode our bikes, we didn't wear helmets, just flip flops.
Our parents drove us around unbelted, in the front seat with no air bags.
We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.
We ate plenty of junk food, but we weren’t overweight because we played outdoors.
We would stay outside until after the sun set and it became impossible to see the ball.
No one could reach us all afternoon. And no one minded.
We had no cel phones, cable TV, Playstations, X-Boxes, video games, Internet chat rooms, surround sound, personal laptop computers or The Mall. We had friends.
We shared a Coke with four friends from one green glass bottle. And no one died. (Some may have gotten cooties, though.)
We played Cops & Robbers with toy guns and Cowboys & Indians with toy rifles.
Our cigarette choices were (1)bubble gum, (2)white candy stick with red tip or (3)chocolate.
Halloween candy wasn’t X-Rayed.
If we fell out of a tree,got cut and broke a tooth or bone, no parent sued. These were accidents.
We walked to friend’s houses. We weren’t driven.
And:
I had friends. Flesh and blood. Not internet chat buddies.
When I watched TV, "Bonanza" (with the Cartrights out on the Ponderosa) was one of the very few shows "brought to you in Living Color...on NBC." I waited all week to see that peacock on Sunday nights.
I would never DREAM of keeping a baseball card pack sealed, saving it for posterity. My buddies and I played Topsies or Farsies with our (Mickey Mantle rookie?) baseball cards.
The best bubble gum in the world was the stale slab that came with every pack of cards. Other than that, you were either a Double Bubble guy or a Bazooka guy. The comics made the difference. (Chicklets were for your parents or an emergency only.)
You were either a Betty guy or a Veronica guy. Same with Ginger or Mary Anne. There were no in-betweens and these were life's major issues. Sides were taken during recess while we played Dodge Ball or hung from a Jungle Gym (before that game and other playground equipment such as "see-saws" were removed from schools due to fear of parental lawsuits.)
Life's only other major issue: I was grateful that my teacher had us all practice ducking under our desks with our hands covering our heads. We knew then, that we'd be safe from The Bomb in case the Russians attacked.
The Good Humor Man came to us every summer afternoon in his truck, ringing those bells and spoiling dinner. A Popsicle was a nickel. A Fudgesicle was a dime. And a (very special treat) Choco-Chip Eclaire was a quarter.
Jack Purcells, not Keds, were the cool tennis shoes.
I proudly wore my Madras shirts--"Guaranteed To Bleed" (with the Monkey Loops on the back). And, even though my Monkey Loops were intentionally ripped off by the class bully...somehow I made it! And so did YOU!
But, as tough as we were, how did we EVER survive before the remote control?
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