Saturday, April 14, 2012

BEFORE


I grew up in the time of BEFORE.  BEFORE was a time when we didn’t know many things, when we accepted many things and we were happy with many things.

BEFORE we didn’t know that smoking could cause lung cancer.  Children would be given a four pack of cigarettes on American Airlines flights. Parents would blithely empty their ashtrays every evening. (Not mine)  And some of the best TV ads were the ones by cigarette companies. The Marlboro Man was a favorite until he died of lung cancer.

BEFORE there were only the “odd” kids, or the ones who were a “bit off.”  Now there are learning disabilities and an alphabet soup of conditions.

BEFORE we never knew that the friendly dentist and his x-rays might cause brain tumors.

BEFORE there was nothing known, as cholesterol; fried chicken and roast beef were the most popular meals.

BEFORE no one wore seat belts and we could sleep in the back of a station wagon on a nest of musty smelling sleeping bags.  Moms would stick out their right arms against the chests of their children at every stop.

BEFORE the teachers taught and didn’t curriculum map, worry about professional growth goals or have parent conferences that could lead to a lawsuit.

BEFORE the milkman delivered into special doors built into the side of a house.  No one ordered, “skim.”  I’m not sure it existed. And when it did make an appearance it was blue.

BEFORE  when the doorbell rang it was an ardent housewife collecting for The March of Dimes. Instead of a Jehovah’s Witness.  Or a Mormon trying to bring my father back into the fold

BEFORE no one questioned the healthiness of Girl Scout cookies, or the fact that children were wearing uniforms not unlike the Hitler Youth.

BEFORE people sat down and ate together and talked.  I blame the slippery slope of this lost tradition on “INSTANT BREAKFAST.”

BEFORE when the phone rang it was a special event.  There was only one phone and it had a special nook in the wall and could not be moved.  The phone prefix denoted your status and neighborhood.   Ours was Normandy 5038.

BEFORE there was no such thing as a remote control; just a younger sister to change the channels—all five.

BEFORE the daily newspaper and WORLD BOOK (or Encyclopedia Britannica) were the main sources of information.

BEFORE when a child was told, “ Because I said so.”  They didn’t say, “Fuck you.”

BEFORE National Geographic was the only place—in Silverlake—to see naked bodies.

BEFORE there were two mail deliveries a day during the Christmas season.

BEFORE no one questioned why older women had blue hair.

BEFORE no one addressed homosexuality unless it was a reference to a hairdresser.

BEFORE the gas station guys cleaned your windows, checked your tire pressure and oil AND knew your name.

BEFORE “Don’t talk to strangers” never seemed to be something to worry about.

BEFORE eating a meal for the “starving children of China” seemed a noble act.

BEFORE even if we were all different we seemed the same.