The World of Grandpa Don

How old would this person be . . ?

One evening a grandson was talking to his grand-father about current events. He asked what he thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in general. The granddad replied, 

"Well, let me think a minute . . . I was born,
* before television,
* penicillin,
* polio shots,
* frozen foods,
* Xerox,
* contact lenses,
* Frisbees
* and the pill.

* There was no radar,
* credit cards,
* laser beams
* or ball-point pens.

* Man had not invented pantyhose,
* air conditioners,
* dishwashers,
* clothes dryers, (the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air,)
* and man hadn't yet walked on the moon.

* Your grandmother and I got married first and then lived together.
* Almost every family had a father and a mother.
* every boy over 14 had a rifle that his dad taught him how to use and respect.
* And they went hunting and fishing together.

* Until I was 25, I called every man older than I, 'Sir' - and after I turned 25, I still called policemen and every man with a title, 'Sir.'
* Sundays were set aside for going to church as a family, helping those in need, and visiting with family or neighbors.

* We were before gay-rights,
* computer-dating,
* dual careers,
* daycare centers,.
* and group therapy

*Our lives were governed by the Ten Commandments,
* 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 here was a bigger privilege.

* We thought fast food was what people ate when they were in a hurry to go somewhere.
* Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins.
* Draft dodgers were people who closed their front doors when 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 the Big Bands,
* Jack Benny,
* and the President's speeches on our radios.
* And I don't ever remember any kid blowing his brains out listening to Tommy Dorsey.
* If you saw anything with 'Made in Japan' on it, it was junk.
* The term 'making out' referred to how you did on your school exam.

* 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 nickel.
* And if you didn't want to splurge, you could spend your nickel on enough stamps to mail 1 letter and 2 postcards.

* You could buy a new Chevy Coupe for $600, but who could afford one?
* Too bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon.

In my day,
* 'grass' was mowed,
* 'coke' was a cold drink,
* 'pot' was something your mother cooked in,
* and 'rock music' was your grandmother's lullaby.
* 'Aids' were helpers in the Principal's office,
* 'chip' meant a piece of wood or you looked like your dad,
* 'hardware' was found in a hardware store,
* and 'software' wasn't even 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 . . .

How Old Do You Think I Am?

This man would be (only) 59 years old

Feeling old?!

Thanks to Alex Kapocious