How old is Grandpa?
Stay with this - the answer is at the end - it will blow you away.
One evening a grandson was talking to his grandfather about current
events. The grandson asked his grandfather 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, and 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.
Every family had a father and a mother.
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.'
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 in this country was a
bigger privilege. We thought fast food was what people ate during Lent.
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, 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. ...and how old do you think I am ???.
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