Fifty Years Ago
Sent in by John Rische
This little poem tells it pretty much like it was 50 years
ago.................
A little house with two bedrooms and one car on the street,
A mower that you had to push, to make the grass look neat.
In the kitchen on the wall, we only had one phone --
And no need for recording things -- someone was always home.
We only had a living room, where we would congregate,
Unless it was at meal time, in the kitchen where we ate.
We had no need for family rooms or extra rooms to dine
When meeting as a family those two rooms would work out fine.
We only had one TV set and channels - maybe two
But always there was one of them, with something worth the view
For snacks we had potato chips that tasted like a chip,
And if you wanted flavor, you made Lipton's onion dip
Weekends were for family trips, or staying home to play
We all did things together, even go to church to pray.
When we did our weekend trips, depending on the weather
No one stayed at home because we liked to be together
Sometimes we would separate, to do things on our own
But we knew where the others were, without our own cell phone
Then there were the movies with your favorite movie star
And nothing can compare to watching, movies in your car
Then there were the picnics, at the peak of summer season
Pack a lunch and find some trees - and never need a reason;
Get a baseball game together, wi th the friends you know
Have real action playing ball - and no game video.
Remember when the doctor used to be the family friend
And didn't need insurance - or a lawyer to defend
The way that he took care of you, or what he had to do
Because he took an oath, and strived to do the best for you.
Remember going to the store - and shopping casually
And when you went to pay for it, you used your own money
Nothing that you had to swipe or - punch in some amount
Remember when the cashier person had to really count?
Remember when we breathed the air, it smelled so fresh and clean
And chemicals were not used on the grass, to keep it green.
The milkman and the bread man used to go from door to door
And it was just a few cents more than going to the store.
There was a time when mailed letters, came right to your door
Without a lot of junk mail ads, sent out by every store
The mailman knew each house by name and knew where it was sent
There was not loads of mail addressed to: "Present Occupant."
There was a time when just one glance, was all that it would take
And you would know the kind of car, the model and the make
They didn't look like turtles, trying to squeeze every mile
They were streamlined, white walls and fins - and really had some style.
One time the music that you played, whenever you would jive
Was from a vinyl, big holed record called a forty-five
The record player had a post, to keep them all in line
And then the records would drop down and play one at a time.
O sure we had our problems then - just like we do today
And always we were striving - trying for a better way;
And every year that passed us by brought new and greater things,
We now can even program phones, with music or with rings.
Oh, the simple life we lived still seems like so much fun
How can you explain a game - just kick the can and run.
And why would boys put baseball cards, between bicycle spokes
And for a nickel, red machines had little bottled cokes.
This life seemed so much easier - and slower in some ways
I love the new technology but I sure miss those old days;
So time moves on and so do we - and nothing stays the same
But I sure love to reminisce, and walk down memory lane.
"LIFE IS NOT A JOURNEY TO THE GRAVE WITH THE INTENTION
OF ARRIVING SAFELY IN A PRETTY AND WELL PRESERVED BODY,
BUT RATHER TO SKID IN BROADSIDE, THOROUGHLY USED UP,
TOTALLY WORN OUT, AND LOUDLY PROCLAIMING----'WHEW----WHAT A RIDE !!'"
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