As I was enjoying a well-deserved nap in my “Comfy Chair.” I was thinking about my younger days and how simple things were back then. Watching television was so simple, channels 2,4,7, and 50 in the Detroit area. No recordings to watch later: No VCR’s, DVR’s and no internet! No platforms, streaming devices, cell phones. Hi-technology was the latest portable transistor radio from Japan.
You would turn on the TV and, in a few minutes, you knew what you were going to watch. The local newspapers would carry the tv guides for the day. If you had some money, you could prescribe to the TV Guide that let you know what was coming up for the next week or month. Can you imagine the size of a TV guide today?
When you went shopping for clothing, you looked to buy something that looked good and was comfortable. The only labels were on the inside of your clothing, for example, Sears, JC Penny, etc. Today if you do not buy “Designer” or “Celebrity” labels, kids and many adults simply will not wear them.
We played all the time outside. Every sport was simple. We played our sports at the end of the street in an open lot owned by a neighbor.
Baseball, Football, Soccer all required the same essential equipment: Shoes, an appropriate ball, and baseball, a wooden bat. We either knew the rules, or we made them up to fit our empty lot dimensions. Shoes were anything you wore on your feet. You could play in tennis shoes, old worn-out shoes, or even barefoot if you only had one pair of shoes, you had to keep in good shape for school.
The ice cream was limited in flavors, vanilla, chocolate, strawberry if you were lucky enough to get ice cream. Yes, eating was simple. Whether you were going to eat a hotdog, hamburger, sandwich, sub, wrap, or even pizza at times, it was always served on 2 pieces of white bread! At my house, it was “Wonder Bread.”
You did not have to label leftovers because usually, there were no leftovers. If there were some leftovers, they would be eaten the next night for dinner, and each consecutive night until gone!
You would complain you were asked if you would like to go to bed without diner. My brother Larry would slip the food he did not want to eat to our dog Spotty under the table.
As is turn on my television, dozens of Apps, Streaming Services show up on my screen. Some you pay for, some free ones have commercials, so I guess you pay for them one way or another. The good news is that if what I’m watching is boring, my “Nap App” takes over, and I enjoy that immensely!
“Remember, every day is a gift! Some are just a little more fun to open than others. – © Joel M. Vernier 01/18/2021 Author of: “The Guinea Pig In The Freezer.” joelmvernier@aol.com
