The Good Old Days

   As a child growing up in the seventies, a typical Saturday at my father’s house went something like this. Woke up to the sound of the Roadrunner demolishing ole Wile E Coyote again and hustled to the kitchen to make a bowl of cereal. Dug waaaay down in the cereal box to see what really cool prize I could snag before my siblings arose. What’s it going to be today? Maybe a matchbox car, or a balsa wood airplane, or one of those really cool magic marking pens that you needed the spy decoder to read. Dangit!! Another one of those Barbie rings. I guess I’ll tell my sisters and let them fight over it. Hmmm, if we all eat a second bowl today, maybe dad will buy another box for tomorrow?


Oh well, off to the great outdoors. My yard was my kingdom and the neighborhood was the entire planet. First I have to get ready for the days adventures.

1. The perfect stick to use as a sword, gun, eye-gouger…Check!

2. My trusty old bike (Evel Knievel motorcycle stand in). Check!!

3. Shirt (This was optional). Check!

4. Canteen full of Kool-Aid. Check!

   Looks like it is going to be another hot, sunny day. I may need to refill the canteen with my neighbor’s garden hose later. After hours of sweat, dirt, skinned knees, and future calluses, dad says it is time for lunch. Woohoo, P. B. and J. with potato chips. This is great AND we get to come inside to eat while The Lone Ranger reruns are on. I scarfed down a couple sandwiches so now it is time to get back to my outside adventures. Another few hours of “jumping the Grand Canyon” on my “motorcycle” and …..hold it…..Dad is calling. I hadn’t noticed it was dark already. Oh well, those conquests will be there tomorrow. Time for a Mr.Bubbles bath to clean all the blood and dirt off of me. Gotta have my Batman Pajamas on as we all gather around the television. Dad has a surprise for us all. Cracker Jacks. This might be my chance to make up for this morning's prize debacle. Yessiirree!! It looks as though I am the proud owner of a Super Bouncy ball! I manage to get in trouble for almost knocking everything off the knick knack shelf while Dad watches Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. He finally lets us know that it is time for bed and my brother and I have a tug-of-war with our Stretch-Arm-Strong all the way to our room. Another day in the books. Maybe tomorrow I’ll jump the Astrodome on my bike?

   I remember all this as though it was still happening and it makes me sad for our children. No-one wants to be outside when they can play X-Box in the air conditioning. The government says that it is dangerous for people to drink out of water hoses. We make our children wear helmets when riding their bicycles and wouldn’t dare let them roam the neighborhood and get out of sight. Corporations are cutting back everywhere. When was the last time your children opened a cereal box or a Cracker Jack box to receive something other than a paper prize? Where are all the wholesome cartoons? (I still think it’s funny when the Roadrunner speeds across the canyon without a bridge and Wile E Coyote takes a thousand foot plunge into a boulder) It is sad to think that my children will not know the joy of a world without caution. We teach our children to not trust anyone and anything. I wonder if this trend will continue and somehow THESE will be “the good old days” to our children. MMMMM…….all this reminiscing made me hungry for some Cracker Jacks. Gotta Go!