From
a reader ...John Schmidt...
"How
Old Is Grandpa?"
One evening a grandson was talking to his grandfather about current events.
The
grandson asked his grandfather what he thought about the shootings at
schools, the computer age, and just things in general...
The
Grandfather replied:
"Well,
let me think for a minute. I was born before:
television
penicillin
polio shots
frozen foods
Xerox
contact lenses
Frisbees
The pill
There were no:
penicillin
polio shots
frozen foods
Xerox
contact lenses
Frisbees
The pill
There were no:
credit
cards
laser beams
ball-point pens
Man had not invented :
laser beams
ball-point pens
Man had not invented :
pantyhose
air conditioners
dishwashers
air conditioners
dishwashers
Clothes
dryers and clothes were hung out to dray in the
fresh air.
Space
travel was only in Flash Gordon books.
Your
Grandmother and I got married first,... and then
lived together..
Every family had a father and a mother.
Until
I was 25, I called every woman older than me,
"maam".
After
I turned 25, I still called policemen and every man
with a title, "Sir."
We
were before gay-rights, computer-dating, dual
careers, daycare centers, and group therapy.
Our
lives were governed by the Bible, good judgment,
and common sense.
We
were taught to know the difference between right
and wrong and to stand up and take responsibility
for our actions.
Serving
your country was a privilege; living in this
country was a bigger privilege.
We
thought fast food was eating half a biscuit while
running to catch the school bus.
Having
a meaningful relationship meant getting along with
your cousins.
Draft dodgers were those who closed front doors as the evening breeze started.
Time-sharing
meant time the family spent together in the
evenings and weekends-not purchasing condominiums.
We
never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CDs, electric
typewriters, yogurt, or guys wearing earrings.
We
listened to Jack Benny, and the President's
speeches on our radios.
If you saw anything with 'Made in Japan ' on it, it was junk.
Pizza
Hut, McDonald's, and instant coffee were unheard
of.
We
had 5 &10-cent stores where you could actually
buy things for 5 and 10 cents.
Ice-cream
cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a
Pepsi were all a dime.
If
you didn't want to splurge, you could spend your
dime on enough stamps to mail 2 letters
and 4 postcards.
In my day:
"grass" was mowed.
"coke" was a cold drink.
"pot" was something your mother cooked in.
"rock music" was your grandmother's lullaby.
"Aids" were helpers in the Principal's office.
"chip" meant a piece of wood.
"hardware" was found in a hardware store and "software"wasn't a word.
And
we were the last generation to actually believe
that a lady needed a husband to have a baby.
No
wonder people call us "old and confused"
and say there is a generation gap or from the
archives.
How
old do you think I am?
This
man would be only 70
years
old
One
more thing...
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